Compare towns
Putney vs Waterbury vs Westminster
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).
Waterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
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 | Waterbury | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
5,405Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury 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% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Waterbury 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% |
54.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Waterbury 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 |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,027±$535Highest 17% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Waterbury and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 5% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury and Westminster 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | 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 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.