Compare towns
Putney vs Salisbury vs Townsend
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 most people working from home (16.9%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
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 | Salisbury | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,200Lowest |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Townsend 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% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Salisbury 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Townsend 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney and Townsend 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.