Compare towns
Hancock vs Putney vs Westminster vs Poultney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Poultney has the youngest population (median age 28.2).
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 | Hancock | Putney | Westminster | Poultney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
2,622 |
2,999Highest |
1,033 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-33.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6 22% below VT |
37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
28.2±4.5Lowest 35% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.8%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Poultney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
38.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
22.1%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Poultney and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$70,536±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
| Putney and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$196,600±$43k 38% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19Highest 24% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$868±$113 30% below VT |
| Hancock and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511 30% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$3,450Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
23.2%±12.4 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 | 5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5% VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | #41 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.