Compare towns
Brookline vs Harvard 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).
Harvard has the most expensive homes ($834k 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 | Harvard | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
6,927Highest |
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. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Harvard 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% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard 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% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest 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% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5 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 |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #12 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Harvard | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.