Compare towns
Ira vs Putney vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Ira | Putney | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
2,622 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
| Ira and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Putney and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% 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 | $942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Ira and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 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 | 14.4% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest 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 |
| 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 | 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.