Compare towns
Putney vs Westminster vs Wardsboro
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 youngest population (median age 37.2).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Wardsboro has the most kids (18.8% 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 | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
2,999Highest |
820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Westminster and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wardsboro 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Wardsboro 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% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
| Putney 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±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Putney and Wardsboro 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 |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,345 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro and Putney 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% |
7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| 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.