Compare towns
Orange vs Putney vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Orange | Putney | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
2,622Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% 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 | $775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$916±$126Highest 35% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.