Compare towns
Colchester vs Putney vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colchester has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Burlington is a college town. 32.3% 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 | Colchester | Putney | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,648 |
2,622Lowest |
44,675Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.4Highest 9% below VT |
37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
26.8±0.8Lowest 38% below VT |
| Colchester and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.1%±1.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Putney and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
60.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
32.3%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$71,109±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Colchester and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$25k 25% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$444,800±$19kHighest 40% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$122 19% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,649±$53Highest 34% above VT |
| Burlington and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,471 9% above VT |
$5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$7,335Highest 46% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
55.6%±4.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Burlington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
20.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
41.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 15% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±2.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #18 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #23 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Colchester School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Burlington School District |
| High school in town | Colchester High School | None in town | Burlington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.