Compare towns
Westminster vs Hill 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%).
Hill has the most homeowners (94.2%).
Putney has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.1%).
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 | Hill | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
908Lowest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
49.1±6.8 26% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Hill 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% |
10.9%±2.8Lowest 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%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hill and Westminster 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% |
30.4%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% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$82,125±$21kHighest about the U.S. average |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Hill 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 18% below U.S. |
$311,700±$41kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Hill and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Highest 35% below U.S. |
— | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Putney 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. |
$4,933 58% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.4Lowest 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 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Hill 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 |
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.