Compare towns
Putney vs Newfane vs Middlebury vs Underhill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Underhill has the most kids (27.8% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Newfane | Middlebury | Underhill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,456Lowest |
9,175Highest |
3,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
38.1±11.4 12% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
27.8%±10.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Underhill and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
17.6%±6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
50.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$92,267±$54kHighest 14% above VT |
| Underhill 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±$44k 5% below VT |
$284,200±$49kLowest 10% below VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$446,000±$24kHighest 41% above VT |
| Underhill and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
— |
| Newfane 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 |
$5,174Lowest about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,697 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Newfane 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% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 24% below VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Underhill 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 | #2 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet | 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.