Compare towns
Westminster vs Sidney vs Hartland
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%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Hartland has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Sidney | Hartland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Lowest |
4,790Highest |
3,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
55.8±5.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Hartland and Westminster 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartland 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Hartland 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. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$86,136±$23kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Hartland and Sidney 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. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
$348,600±$39kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Hartland and Sidney 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. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
— |
| Sidney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 30% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$6,437Highest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.1%±89.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Hartland 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% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #53 of 70 in VT | #15 of 133 in ME | #29 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | RSU 18 | Hartland 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 | 12 photos → |
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.