Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Putney vs Thetford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most kids (19% under 18).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Thetford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Thetford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,622Lowest |
2,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
43.6±6.2 about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±6 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Thetford 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 VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
68%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
6.7%±4.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$88,045±$16kHighest 8% above VT |
| Thetford and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$329,500±$96kHighest 4% above VT |
| Thetford and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,141±$96Highest 8% below VT |
| Thetford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$6,948Highest 38% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.7%±30.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
84.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
13.6%±6.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #40 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Thetford 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 |
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.