Compare towns
Putney vs Brewer vs Underhill 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
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
Underhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Putney | Brewer | Underhill | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
9,652Highest |
3,141 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
38.1±11.4 about the U.S. average |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Underhill and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$92,267±$54kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Underhill and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$446,000±$24kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
— | $916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,697Highest 115% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±18.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 32% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±11.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Underhill 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #2 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Brewer Public Schools | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.