Compare towns
Putney vs Lancaster 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 most people working from home (16.9%).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Lancaster | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
3,216 |
3,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
45.5±6.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
37.4±1.8 4% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Cambridge 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% |
20.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cambridge and Lancaster 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% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$72,344±$19k 10% below U.S. |
| Putney and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$343,000±$38kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Cambridge and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,019±$263 28% below U.S. |
$1,183±$66Highest 16% below U.S. |
| Cambridge and Lancaster 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. |
$4,226Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,910 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney and Lancaster 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 | #107 of 120 in NH | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | White Mountains Regional School District | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.