Compare towns
Putney vs Windham vs Williston vs Cambridge
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 most affordable homes ($300k median).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Cambridge has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Windham | Williston | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
19,188Highest |
10,144 |
3,767 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
37.4±1.8 4% below U.S. |
| Williston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cambridge and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$72,344±$19kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Windham and Williston 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. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$343,000±$38k 3% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,183±$66 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,910 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 14 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.