Compare towns
Putnam vs Middlebury vs Orwell
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 affordable homes ($266k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Orwell has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 540Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.5±7 22% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orwell and Putnam 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% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,344±$14kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below 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±$48kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$335,600±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,105±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,674Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±35.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orwell and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Orwell 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 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.