Compare towns
Putney vs Barre vs Newfane vs Brookline
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 youngest population (median age 37.2).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Putney | Barre | Newfane | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
8,412Highest |
1,456 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Putney 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% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
| Brookline and Putney 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 |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Putney and Brookline 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 |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,266±$238 about the VT average |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,174 about the VT average |
$5,000Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Brookline 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.