Compare towns
Westminster vs Ripton 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%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% 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 | Ripton | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
508Lowest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
| Westminster and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
— | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| 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 History | 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.