Compare towns
Putney vs Hanover vs Brookline 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 most renters (27.2% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($755k median).
Brookline has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
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 | Hanover | Brookline | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
14,845Highest |
531Lowest |
2,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.8±1.4 7% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Hanover 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% |
26.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hanover and Arlington 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% |
16.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Arlington 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% |
56.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$189,803±$23kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$102,308±$11k 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$755,400±$39kHighest 127% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$318,500±$59k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,845±$341Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
$1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
| Hanover 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. |
$9,342Highest 200% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±23.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington and Hanover 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Arlington 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | — | #50 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | — | Arlington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | South Shore Vocational Technical High | — | Arlington Memorial |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
| 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.