Compare towns

Dummerston vs Putney vs Townsend

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

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.

MeasureDummerstonPutneyTownsend
People
Population
2,090Lowest
2,622
9,100Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±11.7Highest
17% above U.S.
37.2±5.2Lowest
4% below U.S.
40.9±3.3
5% above U.S.
Dummerston and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.7%±6Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.4%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
Dummerston and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
24.3%±3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.1%±3.8
U.S.: 17.2%
17.1%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Dummerston and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
58.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
48.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
35.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.3%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
20.4%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$101,696±$21k
26% above U.S.
$79,706±$18kLowest
about the U.S. average
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
Townsend and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$335,300±$22k
about the U.S. average
$300,000±$44kLowest
10% below U.S.
$433,200±$22kHighest
30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,392±$126
about the U.S. average
$508±$482Lowest
64% below U.S.
$1,469±$313Highest
4% above U.S.
Townsend and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,536Lowest
45% above U.S.
$5,313
70% above U.S.
$6,031Highest
93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.1%±32.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
54.2%±19.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Putney and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
16%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 min
21% below U.S.
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
Work from home
25.9%±10.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.9%±6.5
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Dummerston 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 #136 of 282 in MA
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 North Middlesex
High school in town None in town None in town North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school — —
13.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.