Compare towns
Putney vs Randolph vs Williston vs Windham
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 renters (32.8% rent).
Williston has the oldest population (median age 45.4).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Williston | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
4,843 |
10,144 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Williston and Windham 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% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Randolph and Williston 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest 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% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,698Lowest 51% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Windham 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.