Compare towns
Putney vs St. Albans vs Brookline
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).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | St. Albans | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
6,954Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookline and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
| Brookline 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±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$263,400±$18kLowest 17% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Putney and Brookline 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 |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
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| 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.