Compare towns

Putney vs Hingham 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).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k 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.

MeasurePutneyHinghamArlington
People
Population
2,622
24,283Highest
2,598Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.2±5.2Lowest
4% below U.S.
48.4±2.4Highest
24% above U.S.
37.6±4
3% below U.S.
Kids under 18
15.4%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.4%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
20.6%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
Hingham and Arlington 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%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Hingham 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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
76.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
55.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
20.4%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±0.9Lowest
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
$178,390±$15kHighest
121% above U.S.
$102,308±$11k
27% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$300,000±$44kLowest
10% below U.S.
$1,134,200±$47kHighest
241% above U.S.
$318,500±$59k
4% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$508±$482Lowest
64% below U.S.
$2,465±$603Highest
74% above U.S.
$1,191±$172
16% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,313
70% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.2%±19.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
60.3%±12
U.S.: 51.1%
77.1%±9.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Arlington and Hingham 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%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
72.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
84%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
36 minHighest
37% above U.S.
20 min
23% below U.S.
Work from home
16.9%±6.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
33.1%±3.3
U.S.: 15.1%
35.9%±10.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Arlington and Hingham 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 #14 of 282 in MA #50 of 70 in VT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Hingham Arlington School District
High school in town None in town Hingham High Arlington Memorial
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.9Highest
10.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 6 photos → 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.