Compare towns
Townshend vs Windham vs Putney vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Townshend | Windham | Putney | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,538 |
594Lowest |
2,622Highest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Townshend and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wardsboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wardsboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$80 13% below VT |
— | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364 6% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend 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 | — |
| School district | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.1 |
— | — | — |
| 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.