Compare towns
Brookline vs Putney vs Sidney
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 people working from home (20.6%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Putney | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
2,622 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Sidney 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% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Sidney 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% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$83,488±$10kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Brookline 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. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Sidney and Putney 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. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Sidney 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. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.