Compare towns
Westminster vs Sutton vs Walpole vs Athens
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%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
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 | Sutton | Walpole | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
9,452Highest |
3,690 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3Highest 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. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Walpole 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. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
$5,438 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Westminster 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% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #27 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Sutton | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Sutton High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— | — |
| 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.