Compare towns
Westminster vs Salisbury vs Plainfield
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 affordable homes ($274k median).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (96.9%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Salisbury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
1,609Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Westminster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Plainfield 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. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Plainfield 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 Our Story | 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.