Compare towns

Brookline vs Hanover 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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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.

MeasureBrooklineHanoverPutney
People
Population
531Lowest
8,479Highest
2,622
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.1±2.7Highest
16% above U.S.
21.8±0.3Lowest
44% below U.S.
37.2±5.2
4% below U.S.
Brookline and Putney 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%
9.8%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
15.4%±4.1
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%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.1%±3.8
U.S.: 17.2%
Brookline and Putney 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%
89.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
48.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.2%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
49.8%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
20.4%±3.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$80,833±$16k
about the U.S. average
$153,281±$26kHighest
90% above U.S.
$79,706±$18kLowest
about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$290,700±$37kLowest
13% below U.S.
$842,600±$97kHighest
153% above U.S.
$300,000±$44k
10% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,732±$232
23% above U.S.
$2,254±$249Highest
60% above U.S.
$508±$482Lowest
64% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,000Lowest
60% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$5,313
70% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
47.8%±94.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
72%±17.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
54.2%±19.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Hanover 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%
8%
U.S.: 12.5%
16%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
62.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1974Lowest
6 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
8% above U.S.
19 min
28% below U.S.
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
Work from home
20.6%±5.2
U.S.: 15.1%
26.7%±6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.9%±6.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Hanover and Brookline 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 — #1 of 120 in NH #32 of 70 in VT
School district — — Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town — — None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.