Compare towns
Brookline vs Putney vs Townsend
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).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
2,622 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend 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. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Townsend 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | — | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.