Compare towns
Sheldon vs Westminster vs Putney vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the most homeowners (89%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Sheldon | Westminster | Putney | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,267 |
2,999Highest |
2,622 |
1,938Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8 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+ | 14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Fairfield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
| Sheldon and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 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 | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.