Compare towns
Chenango vs Putney vs Westminster vs Parma
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chenango has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Parma has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Chenango | Putney | Westminster | Parma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,787 |
2,622Lowest |
2,999 |
16,111Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±2.8 5% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
40.4±3.3 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,646±$9k 7% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$93,558±$8kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $172,000±$9kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$220,000±$15k 34% below U.S. |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$97 27% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,216±$111Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,700Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$5,549Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Putney 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 | #233 of 484 in NY | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | #88 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | 10.6Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.