Compare towns
Putney vs Westminster vs Salisbury
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 youngest population (median age 37.2).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
2,999Highest |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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 10% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Putney 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. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school 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 History | 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.