Compare towns
Westminster vs Wilder vs Bellows Falls
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%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k 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 | Wilder | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999 |
3,087Highest |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
| Westminster and Wilder 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%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Wilder 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% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Wilder 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 |
$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
| Wilder 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±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
| Westminster and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
| Wilder and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — | — |
| 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.