Compare towns
Smithfield vs Putney vs Friendship
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Friendship has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.9%).
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 | Smithfield | Putney | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
2,622Highest |
1,213 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 43% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
55.5±6.9 43% above U.S. |
| Smithfield and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Putney and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
37.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Friendship and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,917±$27kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$75,625±$22kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Smithfield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$275,000±$56k 17% below U.S. |
| Putney and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358 22% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,370±$53Highest 3% below U.S. |
| Friendship and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,866 8% below U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,218Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.5%±42.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Friendship 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.