Compare towns
Westmore vs Brighton vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westmore has the highest household income ($87k).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
Charleston has the most people working from home (18.7%).
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 | Westmore | Brighton | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 465Lowest |
1,167Highest |
936 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.5 19% above VT |
45.2±11.6Lowest 5% above VT |
58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
| Charleston and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westmore and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Brighton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,188±$11kHighest 7% above VT |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$49,286±$17k 39% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,000±$137kHighest 4% above VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$238,000±$53k 25% below VT |
| Westmore and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,050±$820Highest 15% below VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$979±$444 21% below VT |
| Westmore and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,357Highest 6% above VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$3,750 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35%±94.2 VT: 48.4% |
55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±26.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 49% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
26 minLowest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Charleston and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Brighton School District | Charleston School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.