Compare towns
Westminster vs Strafford vs Putney vs Walpole
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%).
Strafford has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
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 | Strafford | Putney | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
1,372Lowest |
2,622 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Walpole 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Strafford and Walpole 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. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Strafford 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. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Walpole 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest 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 | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Strafford School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | 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 |
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.