Compare towns
Westminster vs Cornwall vs Athens vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Westminster | Cornwall | Athens | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
1,208 |
431Lowest |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athens and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Cornwall and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$6,726Highest 116% above U.S. |
$5,438 74% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #53 of 70 in VT | — | — | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.