Compare towns
Westminster vs Bellows Falls vs Putney vs Athens
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 people working from home (27%).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Putney has the highest household income ($80k).
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 | Bellows Falls | Putney | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
2,891 |
2,622 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.3% VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
| Athens and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
20 min 14% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Athens 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 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.