Compare towns
Putney vs Westminster vs Sheldon
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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% 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 | Westminster | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
2,999Highest |
2,267Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Putney 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% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
| Putney and Sheldon 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 |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster 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 |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
| Sheldon and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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 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.