Compare towns
Arlington vs Hancock vs Putney vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Hancock has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Arlington | Hancock | Putney | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
1,791Lowest |
2,622 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
53.8±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Arlington and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$95,208±$15k 18% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Arlington and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59k 4% below U.S. |
$436,700±$22kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
$1,208±$650Highest 15% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Hancock and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Arlington 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 | #50 of 70 in VT | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.