Compare towns
Putney vs Westminster vs White River Junction
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 most expensive homes ($300k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
2,999 |
3,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and White River Junction 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest 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% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
| Putney and White River Junction 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 |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
| Putney and White River Junction 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 |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
| White River Junction 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 |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1963Lowest 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 24% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Lowest 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 | — |
| High school 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.