Compare towns
Putney vs Dedham vs Arlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Arlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Dedham | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
25,237Highest |
2,598Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Arlington and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$102,308±$11k 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$318,500±$59k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 70 in VT | #119 of 282 in MA | #50 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Dedham | Arlington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Arlington Memorial |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.