Compare towns
Putney vs Middlebury vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Dummerston has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
7,220Highest |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Middlebury 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 VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
58.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Dummerston and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 5% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 24% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Middlebury 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
VT 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.