Compare towns
Putney vs Hyde Park vs Brookline 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).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k 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 | Hyde Park | Brookline | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
513Lowest |
531 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
42.6±10.1 about the VT average |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Hyde Park and Brookline 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% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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% |
41%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$89,946±$10kHighest 11% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Hyde Park 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±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$221,800±$57kLowest 30% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Putney and Brookline 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 |
$1,306±$285 6% above VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Brookline and Hyde Park 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 |
$3,893Lowest 23% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±47.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 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% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.6% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #59 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 Our Story | None yet | 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.