Compare towns

Putney vs Exeter vs Brookline 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).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Underhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).

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.

MeasurePutneyExeterBrooklineUnderhill
People
Population
2,622
913
531Lowest
3,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
-14.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.2±5.2Lowest
4% below U.S.
51.7±12.6Highest
33% above U.S.
45.1±2.7
16% above U.S.
38.1±11.4
about the U.S. average
Exeter and Brookline 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%
22.7%±7.1
U.S.: 22%
20%±6
U.S.: 22%
27.8%±10.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
Underhill and Exeter 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%
26.9%±10.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.6%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Exeter and Brookline 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%
28.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
50.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
20.4%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.2%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
3.5%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$79,706±$18k
about the U.S. average
$77,550±$19kLowest
4% below U.S.
$80,833±$16k
about the U.S. average
$92,267±$54kHighest
14% above U.S.
Underhill and Brookline 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.
$243,000±$89kLowest
27% below U.S.
$290,700±$37k
13% below U.S.
$446,000±$24kHighest
34% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$508±$482Lowest
64% below U.S.
$867±$44
39% below U.S.
$1,732±$232Highest
23% above U.S.
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,313
70% above U.S.
$2,926Lowest
6% below U.S.
$5,000
60% above U.S.
$6,697Highest
115% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.2%±19.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.8%±94.7
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±18.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Putney and Brookline 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%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
72.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
97.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1975Lowest
5 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
29 min
9% above U.S.
28 min
8% above U.S.
33 minHighest
24% above U.S.
Work from home
16.9%±6.5
U.S.: 15.1%
14.4%±10.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.6%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±11.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookline 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 — — Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401
High school 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.