Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Putney vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Brattleboro | Putney | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,622 |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Brattleboro and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$5,313Lowest 70% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.