Compare towns
Putney vs Effingham vs Dummerston vs Underhill
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).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Underhill has the most expensive homes ($446k median).
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 | Effingham | Dummerston | Underhill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,912Lowest |
2,090 |
3,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
38.1±11.4 about the U.S. average |
| Effingham and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
27.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Underhill and Dummerston 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%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$92,267±$54k 14% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Underhill 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. |
$322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$446,000±$24kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,697Highest 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±18.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Dummerston 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±11.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Underhill 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 | — | — | #2 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 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.