Compare towns
Westminster vs Mount Tabor 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%).
Mount Tabor has the most expensive homes ($421k median).
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 | Mount Tabor | Putney | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
304Lowest |
2,622 |
431 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
57.8±10.6Highest 34% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Mount Tabor 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 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
42.4%±18.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Mount Tabor 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% VT: 43.8% |
34.9% 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% |
1.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
— | $79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster 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 |
$420,500±$76kHighest 33% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Mount Tabor 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 |
$2,143±$367Highest 74% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,233 4% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% VT: 73.2% |
92.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1946Lowest 30 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
46 minHighest 94% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
36 min 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | 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 History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.