Compare towns
Putney vs Richmond 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 most affordable homes ($300k median).
Richmond has the most homeowners (78.8%).
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 | Richmond | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
4,159 |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
43.7±5.6Highest about the VT average |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Richmond and Waterbury 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% |
21.5%±5 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Richmond 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% |
19.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Waterbury and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
59.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$108,235±$24kHighest 33% above VT |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
| Richmond and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$432,200±$39k 37% above VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Waterbury and Richmond 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 |
— | $1,027±$535Highest 17% below VT |
| Waterbury and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,435 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
28.5%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Waterbury 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% |
4.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
78.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury and Richmond 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 | #5 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.