Compare towns
Putney vs Wells 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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Wells | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Highest |
1,148 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Putney and Wells 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% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Wells 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% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% 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 |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Putney and Wells 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 |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Wells 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 |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Walden 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% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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 |
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.