Compare towns
Dummer vs Putney vs Windham vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Columbia has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
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 | Dummer | Putney | Windham | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 299Lowest |
2,622Highest |
594 |
683 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -12.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
51.8±10.1 33% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±8.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21k 13% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$57,917±$13kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Windham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51k 27% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$196,400±$29kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
— | $792±$333Highest 44% below U.S. |
| Columbia and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898 7% below U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$2,009Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
9.1%±95.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet | 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.