Compare towns
Putney vs Walden 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).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Walden | Westminster | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,037 |
2,999Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Westminster and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline 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% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Walden 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% |
26.4%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% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Walden 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±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| 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 59% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Putney 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 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 10% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Walden 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | 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 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.