Compare towns
Brookline vs Hancock 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 kids (20% under 18).
Hancock has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
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 | Hancock | Windham | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
752 |
594 |
2,622Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
47.1±11.1Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Hancock 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% |
19.1%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Hancock 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% |
27.3%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock and Windham 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% |
35.7%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% |
3.5%±3.5 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 |
$96,250±$26kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Hancock and Windham 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. |
$375,500±$21kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Hancock and Windham 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. |
$1,268±$415 10% below U.S. |
— | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Hancock 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. |
$1,018Lowest 67% below 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% |
51.1%±36.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Hancock 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% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% 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. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below 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% |
10.4%±4.3Lowest 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 | — | Hancock | — | 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.