Compare towns
Putney vs Plainfield vs Braintree
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).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Plainfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Highest |
1,314 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Braintree and Putney 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 |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Plainfield 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Plainfield and Braintree 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree 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 | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None 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.