Compare towns
Putney vs Hanover 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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
8,479Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2 4% below U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Putney 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Putney 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% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest 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 |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Brookline 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.