Compare towns
Putney vs Hardwick vs Underhill 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
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 | Hardwick | Underhill | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
2,965 |
3,141Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
38.1±11.4 12% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
27.8%±10.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Underhill and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
17.6%±6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±2 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$92,267±$54k 14% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Hardwick and Underhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$446,000±$24kHighest 41% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$875±$406 29% below VT |
— | $916±$126Highest 26% below VT |
| Westminster and Hardwick 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 |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$6,697Highest 33% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
76.4% VT: 73.2% |
79.8% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #68 of 70 in VT | #2 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.