Compare towns
Westminster vs Putney vs Ripton vs Westminster
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).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
2,622 |
508 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Ripton 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%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Westminster 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| 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 VT average |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Ripton and Westminster 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±$44k 5% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
| Ripton and Westminster 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 |
— | $916±$126Highest 26% below VT |
| Westminster and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 11% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 26% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.