Compare towns
Putney vs Union 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).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Brookline has the highest household income ($81k).
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 | Union | Westminster | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
2,663 |
2,999Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.6±5.3 7% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Union 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Union 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% |
34.4%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% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$80,724±$9k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$267,600±$42kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Putney and Brookline 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. |
$1,179±$452 17% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Union 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. |
$3,276Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | 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.