Compare towns
Barre vs Brookline 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
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Barre | Brookline | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Highest |
531Lowest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Barre and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Barre and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713 27% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 66% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #134 of 282 in MA | — | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Quabbin | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.