Compare towns
Pownal 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
Pownal has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Putney has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.1%).
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 | Pownal | Putney | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Highest |
2,622Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 14% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,163±$21kLowest 21% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32kLowest 19% 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 | $944±$139Highest 24% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Pownal and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Lowest 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 | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 10% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Lowest 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 | #67 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | 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 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.