Compare towns
Putney vs Randolph vs Waterbury
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).
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Waterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
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 | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
4,843 |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
43.2±3.7Highest about the VT average |
| Waterbury and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury 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 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Waterbury 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% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
| Waterbury 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 |
$278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$1,027±$535 17% below VT |
| Randolph and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 5% above VT |
$4,698Lowest 7% below VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Randolph 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% |
7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.