Compare towns
Putney vs North Reading vs Arlington
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 renters (27.2% rent).
North Reading has the most expensive homes ($711k median).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | North Reading | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
15,765Highest |
2,598Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43±2.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.6±4 3% below U.S. |
| North Reading and Arlington 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% |
22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| North Reading and Arlington 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% |
16.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Arlington and Putney 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
56.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$147,768±$25kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$102,308±$11k 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$710,500±$24kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$318,500±$59k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$2,259±$356Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$9,693Highest 211% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
75.5%±25.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington and North Reading 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Arlington and North Reading 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 | #33 of 282 in MA | #50 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | North Reading | Arlington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Reading High | Arlington Memorial |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| 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.