Compare towns
Dummerston vs Shaftsbury vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Dummerston | Shaftsbury | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
3,607Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Dummerston and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Shaftsbury 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 VT: 43.8% |
40.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$267,300±$24kLowest 16% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
| Dummerston and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,079±$54 13% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #62 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| 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.