Compare towns
Putney vs Brookfield vs Shaftsbury
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%).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,486Lowest |
3,607Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Brookfield 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% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Shaftsbury 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% |
40.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Brookfield and Shaftsbury 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 |
$267,300±$24kLowest 16% 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 |
$1,079±$54Highest 13% below VT |
| Shaftsbury 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 |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Shaftsbury 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% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest 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 | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None 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.