Compare towns
Westminster vs Cornish vs Athens 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%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
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 | Cornish | Athens | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
1,816 |
431Lowest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Putney 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% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Cornish 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% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%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% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Cornish 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. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Putney and Cornish 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. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Athens 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. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,438 74% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Cornish 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.