Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Westminster grades C overall, ranked 51st of 71 in Vermont, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Residents are healthier than 84% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and it is more walkable than 81% of U.S. towns. On the other side, its public schools trail 85% of Vermont towns on state tests and graduation. Westminster's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 96% of U.S. towns. Windmill Ridge Nature Reserve, at 1,324 acres with 9.3 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Westminster has 1 place on the National Register.
Where Westminster beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Vermont), ordered by how far Westminster is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,601 in 1790, a low of 1,238 in 1870, 3,016 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 5 maps from 1927 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Who provides power, water and the rest in Westminster, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Westminster.
Westminster has an unusually large share working from home, gets more snow than most of the country, though not than most of Vermont and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Vermont.
Its public schools are run by the Bellows Falls Union High School District #27. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Bellows Falls Union High School, with 303 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster SchoolsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 169 | – |
| Bellows Falls Union High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 303 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VT on state tests and graduation
Within Vermont it is healthier than 53% of the 71 graded towns: Vermont sets a high bar.
26% of Westminster adults have obesity, against 30% in Vermont’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. 28% of Westminster adults sleep under 7 hours. Westminster beats the Vermont average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
| Westminster | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 30% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 76% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 19% | 25% |
| What stands out | Westminster | VT |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.6% | 10.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Windmill Ridge Nature Reserve | 9.3 mi | 1,324 |
| 2. Stephen Martin Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary | 1 mi | 68 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The typical Westminster home is worth about $302,000, up 0.5% in a year, 23% below the Vermont typical home. 88% of Westminster households own their home, above both Vermont’s towns (75%) and U.S. towns (73%). The median rent in Westminster is $916 a month.
| Westminster | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $916 a month | $1,137 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Walpole 3 weather station, 5 miles away, records that 60 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 89% of Vermont places with climate records. July afternoons average 80.9°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 78% of Vermont places with climate records; January nights average 11.6°.
Westminster has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. Only 5 of the 71 Vermont towns we compare have a higher January low than Westminster. Westminster’s July high is 81°F.
| Westminster | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 12°F | 9°F | 22°F |
| July high | 81°F | 80°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 28% of residents (22% statewide). 46% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Westminster. Only 3 of the 71 Vermont towns we compare have a higher median age than Westminster.
| Westminster | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.5 years | 43.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 46% | 39% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 18% | 19% | 22% |
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.3 points. Across Vermont, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Westminster | VT | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.4% | 9.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.9% | 8.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.9% | 11.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.5% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.6% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 20.2% | 14.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 19.9% | 13% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.7% | 8.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.2% | 5.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.7% | 26.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.9% | 15.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.9% | 8.6% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.7% | 25.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 27.6% | 18.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,900, single groups can be off by several points
27% of workers work from home, against 16.9% across Vermont.
Most working residents leave Westminster for work: only 12% work in town. Jobs based in Westminster fell to 981 in 2023, 145 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Brattleboro (15%), Rockingham (13%) and Putney (5%).
| Westminster | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 16% | 8% |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 64% of U.S. communities. Since 1987, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Westminster.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Westminster. Close and well known come first.
25 mi MountainMount Monadnock
40 mi Ski areaKillington Resort184 runs · 3,031 ft vertical
22 mi Ski areaMount Snow119 runs · 1,648 ft vertical
21 mi Ski areaStratton Mountain Resort106 runs · 1,899 ft vertical
26 mi Ski areaOkemo Mountain119 runs · 2,165 ft vertical
38 mi LandmarkBennington Battle MonumentMount Monadnock: Jonwmcinenrey, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Killington Resort: NHRHS2010, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Snow: William J Sisti from Morristown, NJ, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Stratton Mountain Resort: Rudi Riet from Washington, DC, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Okemo Mountain: Jrclark (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bennington Battle Monument: Phil Boucher, CC BY-SA 3.0
3 within 15 miles of the center of Westminster
About 4 of every 100 Westminster residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Vermont.
9 notable people were born in Westminster.
Town in Vermont, United States
Westminster is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,016 at the 2020 census. It was also the first capital of the Republic of Vermont. It borders the state of New Hampshire.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
9 towns share a border with Westminster.
| Town | VT rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster · Westminster | #51 | C | C | — | C− | A− |
| Rockingham | #62 | C− | C− | — | C− | A− |
| Putney | #42 | B− | C | — | C+ | A− |
| Athens | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| North Westminster | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bellows Falls | #64 | D | C | B− | C− | B |
| Brookline | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Westminster, Rockingham and Putney report no FBI crime data of their own. Athens, North Westminster and Brookline aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Westminster and Westminster are one community, graded once. Compare Westminster with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Westminster grades C overall, better than 31% of U.S. towns and #51 of 71 in Vermont. It grades A− for health and C− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a C−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
Westminster has 1 place on the National Register of Historic Places. 9 notable people were born here, including Tara Correa-McMullen and Timothy Field Allen.
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