Compare towns
Putney vs Otis vs Westminster vs Brookline
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).
Otis has the highest household income ($109k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Otis | Westminster | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,624 |
2,999Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
51±3.2 31% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline 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% |
28%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Otis 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$108,898±$6kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$396,700±$40kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,318±$924 7% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,408Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Otis 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% |
1.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Otis 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 | Farmington River Reg | 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 |
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| 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.