Compare towns
Cambridge vs Durham 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
Cambridge has the most kids (23% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Cambridge | Durham | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767 |
10,681Highest |
2,622Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8Highest 4% below U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
37.2±5.2 4% below U.S. |
| Cambridge and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Cambridge and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putney and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,344±$19kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38k 3% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66 16% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Durham and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910Lowest 57% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney and Durham 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 | #25 of 70 in VT | #9 of 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.