Compare towns
Castleton vs Putney vs Westminster vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Castleton | Putney | Westminster | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
2,622Lowest |
2,999 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Westminster and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Williston 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
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| 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.