Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Putney vs Wells
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,622 |
1,148Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Brattleboro 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%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest 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% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Putney and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$243,000±$42kLowest 23% below VT |
| Putney and Brattleboro 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 |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Putney 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% |
15.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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 History | 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.