Compare towns
Putney vs Fairlee 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).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Fairlee | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,066Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
| Fairlee 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Putney and Fairlee 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 |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
| Putney and Fairlee 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 |
$1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Fairlee and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 5% above VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 minHighest 3% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District | 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 Our Story | 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.