Compare towns
Putney vs Walpole vs Westminster vs Underhill
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).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Underhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Walpole | Westminster | Underhill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
3,690Highest |
2,999 |
3,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.1±11.4 about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Underhill and Walpole 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% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±6Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$92,267±$54kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Underhill and Walpole 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. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$446,000±$24kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
— |
| Walpole and Westminster 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. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$6,697Highest 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±18.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Walpole 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% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±11.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Underhill 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT | #2 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| 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.