Compare towns
Putney vs Freeport vs Arlington 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).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k 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 | Freeport | Arlington | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
8,802Highest |
2,598 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Freeport 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% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Arlington and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Freeport and Arlington 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% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7 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 |
$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$102,308±$11k 27% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Freeport 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±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$318,500±$59k 4% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
$1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Freeport 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. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington and Freeport 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% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Arlington and Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #50 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 05 | Arlington School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | Arlington Memorial | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
10.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.