Compare towns
Brookline vs Orange 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Orange | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
7,573Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Orange 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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Brookline 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% |
20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Brookline 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% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Putney 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. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Putney and Brookline 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. |
$775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Brookline 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.