Compare towns
Putney vs Danvers vs Arlington 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).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
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 | Danvers | Arlington | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
28,098Highest |
2,598Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Arlington 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% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Danvers 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% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$102,308±$11k 27% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$318,500±$59k 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Arlington and Westminster 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #50 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Arlington School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Arlington Memorial | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.6Lowest |
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.