Compare towns
Putney vs Bridgewater vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Bridgewater | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
980Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$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 | $300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% 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 | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$850±$778 31% below VT |
$916±$126Highest 26% below VT |
| Westminster and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.