Compare towns
Newfane vs Putney vs Westminster vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Newfane | Putney | Westminster | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,456 |
2,622 |
2,999Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Newfane and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Newfane and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,719±$21kLowest 18% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
| Brookline and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Putney and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,266±$238 about the VT average |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,174 about the VT average |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% 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 |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 13% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Westminster 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
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| 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.