Compare towns
Westminster vs Putney vs Castleton vs Brookline
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 most renters (27.2% rent).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).
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 | Castleton | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
2,622 |
4,453Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
| Brookline and Westminster 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%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Westminster 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Westminster and Putney 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 |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 11% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Putney 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 26% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.