Compare towns
Putnam vs Middlebury vs Mansfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most kids (17.4% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Mansfield has the most affordable homes ($200k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Putnam | Middlebury | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 540Lowest |
7,220Highest |
691 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4 38% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
54±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Mansfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Putnam and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,344±$14kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18k 7% above U.S. |
$83,304±$14kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,200±$48k 20% below U.S. |
$417,400±$31kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$200,000±$29kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,674Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,795Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,122 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±12.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Mansfield 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | PUTNAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.