Compare towns
Westminster vs Brookline 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%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
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 | Brookline | Putney | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
531 |
2,622 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above 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% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline 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% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Brookline 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 14% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Putney and Brookline 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 |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Brookline and Athens 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 |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 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% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
28 min 21% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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.