Compare towns
Westminster vs Bellows Falls vs Walpole vs Putney
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 (27%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Walpole | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
2,891 |
3,690Highest |
2,622Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Walpole and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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 30% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Putney 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — | None in town | 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 |
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.