Compare towns
Putney vs Topsham vs Walden
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).
Topsham has the most kids (18% under 18).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Topsham | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Highest |
999Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Topsham and Walden 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% |
18%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Topsham 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 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Topsham and Walden 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% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$72,308±$60kLowest 11% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden 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 |
$222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Putney and Walden 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 |
$908±$398Highest 26% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Waits River Union High District #36 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.