Compare towns
Putney vs Rochester vs Plainfield
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).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Rochester | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Highest |
1,389Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Plainfield 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Plainfield School District |
| 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 |
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.