Compare towns
Putnam 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
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
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 | Putnam | Putney | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Highest |
2,622Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Putnam and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest 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 | $70,561±$7kLowest 13% 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 | $269,200±$11kLowest 19% 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 | $1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest 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 | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.