Compare towns
Westminster vs Putney vs Ripton vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
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 | Ripton | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
2,622 |
508 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Putney and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22k about the U.S. average |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315 47% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
— | $1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Ripton 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.