Compare towns
Bennington vs Calais vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Pownal has the oldest population (median age 49).
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 | Bennington | Calais | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,713Lowest |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
| Pownal and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
| Calais and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Pownal 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.