Compare towns
Putney vs Surry vs Thornton
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).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
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 | Surry | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,052Lowest |
2,799Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Thornton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Surry 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% |
23.3%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry and Thornton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$90,022±$17k 12% above U.S. |
| Surry and Thornton 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. |
$331,400±$23k about the U.S. average |
$351,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Thornton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,270±$428 10% below U.S. |
| Surry and Thornton 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. |
$6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,032Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±24.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thornton and Putney 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% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thornton 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 | — | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Thornton School District |
| High school 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.