Compare towns
Putney vs Kennebunk 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).
Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Kennebunk | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
11,820Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Brookline 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 21 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.