Compare towns
Westminster vs Townsend vs Putney vs Athens
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%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Townsend | Putney | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
9,100Highest |
2,622 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Athens 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$5,438 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Townsend 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
36 min 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | North Middlesex | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— | — |
| 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.