Compare towns
Brookline vs Gardner vs Putney vs Hyde Park
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 people working from home (20.6%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Gardner | Putney | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531 |
21,148Highest |
2,622 |
513Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
42.6±10.1 10% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$89,946±$10kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Hyde Park 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±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Putney 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. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,306±$285 8% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Hyde Park 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. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,893Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Gardner 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% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Gardner | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.