Compare towns
Brookline vs Lee vs Salisbury 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).
Lee has the oldest population (median age 55.2).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Lee | Salisbury | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
5,719 |
9,281Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Lee and Salisbury 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% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9 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%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Salisbury 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% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 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 |
$83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Lee 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. |
$352,700±$19k 6% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
$1,691±$411 20% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Salisbury 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. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Lee 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% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
18 min 31% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Salisbury 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 | — | #209 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Lee | Triton | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | Lee Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.