Compare towns
Westminster vs Fairfield vs Putney
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%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Fairfield | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
1,938Lowest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield 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% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Putney 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% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
| Fairfield 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±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
| Fairfield and Putney 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 |
$1,056±$441Highest 14% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Fairfield and Westminster 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 |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | 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 |
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.