Compare towns
Putnam vs Williston vs Thompson vs Winchester
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).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
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 | Williston | Thompson | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
10,144 |
9,337 |
10,284Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2 26% above U.S. |
| Thompson and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Thompson 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% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Williston and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860 24% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Winchester 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Thompson 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #130 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Thompson School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | None in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | 7.9Lowest |
9.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.