Compare towns
Putney vs Westminster vs Windham
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 (27%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
2,999 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%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% |
3.9%±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. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Windham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% 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% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.