Compare towns
Windham vs Westminster vs Reading vs Brookline
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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
Brookline has the most kids (20% 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 | Westminster | Reading | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
2,999Highest |
699 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Westminster and Reading 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% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading 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% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Windham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Reading and Windham 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 |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Westminster 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Reading 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— | — |
| 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.