Compare towns
Putney vs Westminster vs Walpole
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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Walpole has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
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 | Westminster | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
497Lowest |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster 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% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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% |
19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Westminster 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% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$81,000±$22k about the U.S. average |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster 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. |
$749±$315 47% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% 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. |
$4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 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% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.