Compare towns
Brookline vs Effingham vs Windham 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
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Effingham has the most homeowners (90.2%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Brookline | Effingham | Windham | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
1,912 |
594 |
2,622Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Effingham 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% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Effingham 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% |
18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Brookline 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. |
$322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Windham and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
— | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 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 | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 | — | — | — | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.