Compare towns
Putney vs Cushing vs Brookline 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Cushing | Brookline | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,460 |
531Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
48.8±7.7 25% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Cushing 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
38.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$83,500±$19kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Cushing and Brookline 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. |
$409,800±$44kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,553±$376 10% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 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 | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
23 min 11% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 | RSU 13 | — | 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 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.