Compare towns
Putney vs Sharon vs Westminster vs Brookline
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).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Brookline has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
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 | Sharon | Westminster | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,577 |
2,999Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Westminster and Sharon 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% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Brookline 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% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Sharon 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Sharon 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±$44k 5% below VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Sharon 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 |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Sharon 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 |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 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% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Sharon School District | 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 |
— |
| 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.