Compare towns
Brookline vs Putney vs Sutton 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
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Brookline | Putney | Sutton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
2,622 |
9,452Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Sutton 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #105 of 282 in MA | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Sutton | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Sutton High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.