Compare towns
Westminster vs Putney vs Brookfield vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Westminster | Putney | Brookfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
2,622Highest |
1,486 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22k about the VT average |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39k about the VT average |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315 39% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$975±$306Highest 21% below VT |
— |
| Brookfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Westminster 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 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.