Compare towns

Putney vs Durham 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).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasurePutneyDurhamArlington
People
Population
2,622
15,080Highest
2,598Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.2±5.2
4% below U.S.
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
37.6±4Highest
3% below U.S.
Arlington 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
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.6%±3.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
Arlington and Putney 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%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Arlington 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%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
55.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
20.4%±3.4
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
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
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$102,308±$11k
27% above U.S.
Durham and Arlington 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.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$318,500±$59k
4% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$508±$482Lowest
64% below U.S.
$1,429±$143Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,191±$172
16% below U.S.
Durham and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,313
70% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.2%±19.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16
U.S.: 51.1%
77.1%±9.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Arlington and Durham 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%
15.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
72.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
84%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
19 min
27% below U.S.
20 minHighest
23% below U.S.
Work from home
16.9%±6.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5
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 #9 of 120 in NH #50 of 70 in VT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Oyster River Coop School District Arlington School District
High school in town None in town Oyster River High School Arlington Memorial
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.3Highest
10.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 51 photos → 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.