Compare towns
Putney vs Pelham 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Cambridge has the most kids (23% 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 | Pelham | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
14,449Highest |
3,767 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S. |
37.4±1.8 4% below U.S. |
| Pelham 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% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cambridge and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putney and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%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% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$72,344±$19kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$343,000±$38k 3% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,183±$66 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,910Lowest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.6%±7.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Cambridge 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Putney 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Pelham School District | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
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| 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.