Compare towns
Windham vs Dover vs Bennington vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Dover has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
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 | Windham | Dover | Bennington | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
1,466 |
15,249Highest |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.3±11.5Lowest about the VT average |
| Dover and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$81,000±$22k about the VT average |
| Windham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
| Windham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$749±$315 39% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Westminster 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.