Compare towns
Dover vs Putney vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Waterbury has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
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 | Dover | Putney | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Lowest |
2,622 |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Dover and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
| Waterbury and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49 46% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,027±$535Highest 17% below VT |
| Waterbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury and Dover 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 | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | 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.