Compare towns
Dummerston vs Putney vs Westminster vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Dummerston | Putney | Westminster | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
2,622 |
2,999Highest |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
| Westminster and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Dummerston 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.