Compare towns
Putney vs Randolph vs Salisbury vs Brookline
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).
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).
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 | Randolph | Salisbury | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
4,843 |
5,656Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
51±6.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Randolph 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% |
40.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$92,469±$7kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury 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 10% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$465,900±$31kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,770±$444Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
$4,561Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.8%±11.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Putney 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.7%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Salisbury 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #240 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 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.