Compare towns
Putney vs St. Albans vs Walpole 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | St. Albans | Walpole | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
6,954Highest |
3,690 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Putney 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. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Walpole and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.