Compare towns
Westminster vs Plainfield vs Putney vs Rockingham
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%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Rockingham has the most affordable homes ($211k 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 | Plainfield | Putney | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
1,314Lowest |
2,622 |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
| Westminster and Plainfield 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham and Westminster 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% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$70,857±$16k 13% 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 |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT |
| Plainfield 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
| Plainfield and Rockingham 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,887 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Putney 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older 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 |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Rockingham 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 | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rockingham School District |
| 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 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.