Compare towns
Westminster vs Brewer 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%).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Brewer | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999 |
9,652Highest |
2,622Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Brewer 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% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
| 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 18% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
| 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 35% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 30% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Putney 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% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Brewer Public Schools | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
14.0Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.