Compare towns
Putney vs Hingham vs Cambridge
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).
Cambridge has the most renters (29.7% rent).
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 | Hingham | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
24,283Highest |
3,767 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
48.4±2.4Highest 24% above U.S. |
37.4±1.8 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hingham and Cambridge 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% |
26%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
76.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$178,390±$15kHighest 121% above U.S. |
$72,344±$19kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S. |
$343,000±$38k 3% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,183±$66 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,910Lowest 57% 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% |
66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge 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% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 70 in VT | #14 of 282 in MA | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Hingham | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hingham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
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| 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.