Compare towns
Windham vs Sheffield vs Brookline 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).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($123k median).
Brookline has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Sheffield | Brookline | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Highest |
190Lowest |
531 |
497 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
32.5±2.3Lowest 25% below VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
34.7%±13.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheffield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.2%±14Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
16.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
45.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±5.8 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Brookline and Westminster 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 |
$65,795±$12kLowest 19% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$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 |
$122,700±$70kLowest 61% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
| Windham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,219±$563 about the VT average |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
| Brookline and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$1,714Lowest 66% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,480 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.9% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
21 minLowest 12% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
8.6%±6.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 |
| 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.