Compare towns
Ira vs Northfield vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
Putney has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Ira | Northfield | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
5,920Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Putney and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Putney and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
| Putney and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
| Putney and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52 24% below VT |
$1,018±$207Highest 18% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Northfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Putney and Northfield 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.