Compare towns
Putney vs Plainfield vs Fair Haven 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).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k median).
Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Plainfield | Fair Haven | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,314Lowest |
2,724 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Plainfield 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven 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 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Plainfield 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% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster 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 |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Plainfield and Putney 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$830±$116 33% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16% VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest 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 | — | #66 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.