Compare towns
Westminster vs Dover vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Brookline has the youngest population (median age 45.1).
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 | Dover | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
1,466 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 12% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
| Brookline and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Dover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126 26% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Dover 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.