Compare towns
Putney vs Castleton vs Cambridge 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Castleton | Cambridge | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
4,453Highest |
3,767 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
37.4±1.8 13% below VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
| Brookline and Castleton 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%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Castleton 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 |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$72,344±$19kLowest 11% 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±$44k 5% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$343,000±$38kHighest 8% above VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Cambridge 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 |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,183±$66 4% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,910 about the VT average |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
66.6%±7.3 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Cambridge 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #25 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cambridge School District | — |
| 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 | 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.