Compare towns
Putney vs Walpole vs Athens vs Dummerston
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 youngest population (median age 37.2).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Walpole | Athens | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
3,690Highest |
431Lowest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5Highest 22% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
| Athens and Walpole 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% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Dummerston 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% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Dummerston and Walpole 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. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
| Dummerston and Walpole 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. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$5,438 74% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Walpole 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% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Athens 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.