Compare towns
Putney vs Dedham vs Cambridge
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 most people working from home (16.9%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Dedham | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,656Lowest |
3,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
46.5±2.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
37.4±1.8 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Putney 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% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$111,442±$18kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$72,344±$19kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Dedham 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±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$356,400±$33kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$343,000±$38k 3% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,183±$66 16% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,942Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,910 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney and Cambridge 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 | — | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Dedham Public Schools | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.