Compare towns
Putney vs Windham vs Williston vs Brookline
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).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
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 | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,622 |
16,038Highest |
10,144 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Williston and Brookline 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Brookline 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% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Windham 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.