Compare towns
Putney vs Gardner vs Randolph vs Arlington
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).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Gardner | Randolph | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
21,148Highest |
4,843 |
2,598Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Randolph 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% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Arlington and Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Randolph 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
$102,308±$11kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Arlington 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. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$318,500±$59kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Arlington and Gardner 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. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,191±$172Highest 16% below U.S. |
| Arlington and Randolph 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. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington 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% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 70 in VT | #273 of 282 in MA | #55 of 70 in VT | #50 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Gardner | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Arlington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Randolph Union High School | Arlington Memorial |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
9.4Lowest |
10.6 |
| 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.