Compare towns
Putney vs St. Albans vs Williston
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).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
6,954 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston 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 5% below VT |
$263,400±$18kLowest 17% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 5% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.