Compare towns
Putney vs Halifax vs Randolph 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).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Halifax | Randolph | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
7,748Highest |
4,843 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Halifax 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% |
22.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax 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% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Randolph 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$118,556±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$481,500±$51kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$278,700±$38kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,804±$375Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
| Halifax and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
$4,698Lowest 51% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Randolph 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% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Putney 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #55 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Halifax | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.4 |
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| 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.