Compare towns
Brookline vs Durham vs Putney vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brookline | Durham | Putney | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531 |
15,080Highest |
2,622 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
37.2±5.2 4% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
| Durham and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
— |
| Brookline and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.