Compare towns
Putney vs Durham vs Brookline
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Putney | Durham | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
15,080Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2 4% below U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brookline 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%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline 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% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest 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% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Durham 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. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham 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% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| 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.