Compare towns
Putney vs Stratton vs Middlebury vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Brookline has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Stratton | Middlebury | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
532 |
9,175Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
31.8±3.7 26% below VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
| Brookline and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton 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% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Middlebury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Stratton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$400,000±$50k 26% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
| Middlebury and Stratton 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 |
$1,208±$979 about the VT average |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 5% above VT |
$4,750Lowest 6% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Middlebury 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% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
73.3% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 24% below VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.