Compare towns
Putney vs Brookfield vs Northfield
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).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Brookfield | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,486Lowest |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Brookfield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield 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% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 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 | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
| Brookfield 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±$44k 5% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
| Brookfield and Putney 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 |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,018±$207Highest 18% below VT |
| Northfield and Brookfield 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 |
$4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest 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 | 16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Putney 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School |
| 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.