Compare towns
Calais vs Putney vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Calais | Putney | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
2,622Highest |
1,918 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
44.3±5.3Highest about the VT average |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$84,375±$34k 4% above VT |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,200±$821 about the VT average |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$6,208 23% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Waitsfield 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 | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.