Compare towns
Putney vs Keene 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 most expensive homes ($300k median).
Keene has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
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 | Keene | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
22,939Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Keene 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% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Putney and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68Highest 5% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest 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% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 32% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Keene School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.