Compare towns
Putney vs Walden vs Fairfield
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).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Walden | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Walden 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% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
| Walden and Fairfield 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 |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Fairfield and Putney 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 |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
$1,056±$441Highest 14% below VT |
| Fairfield 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 |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Putney 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
26 minHighest 10% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| 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.