Compare towns
Putney vs Durham 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Durham has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Durham | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
2,641 |
3,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
48.8±5.1Highest 25% above U.S. |
37.4±1.8 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cambridge and Durham 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% |
24.2%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Durham 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% |
28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$81,471±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$72,344±$19kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Durham 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 10% below U.S. |
$245,300±$26kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$343,000±$38kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| 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 64% below U.S. |
$994±$844 30% below U.S. |
$1,183±$66Highest 16% below U.S. |
| Cambridge and Durham 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. |
$3,728Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$4,910 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.3%±40.8Lowest 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% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney 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 | #100 of 484 in NY | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | None in town | CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.9 |
— |
| 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.