Compare towns
Putney vs Athens vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Putney | Athens | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Highest |
431Lowest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Putney and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Putney and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Putney and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Athens and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 5% above VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Athens 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school 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.