Compare towns
Putney vs Peru vs Brookline
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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Brookline has the most kids (20% 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 | Peru | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Highest |
434Lowest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Peru and Brookline 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%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline 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% |
21.4%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Peru and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Peru and Brookline 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 |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
| Peru and Putney 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 |
$1,271±$820 about the VT average |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$5,000Lowest about the VT average |
$5,000Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Brookline 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% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.