Compare towns
Westminster vs Bristol 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%).
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Bristol | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999 |
3,273Highest |
2,622Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
42.7±5.7 10% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bristol 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% |
23.2%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Bristol 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$78,438±$10k about the U.S. average |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Putney and Bristol 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. |
$258,300±$63kLowest 22% 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. |
$1,310±$97Highest 7% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$4,162 33% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest 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 | #79 of 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Newfound Area School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Newfound Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
11.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.