Compare towns
Bennington vs Dummerston vs Exeter vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Dummerston | Exeter | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249 |
2,090Lowest |
16,151Highest |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
49±9.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Pownal and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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 26% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$64,163±$21k 21% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$256,600±$32k 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$944±$139Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,560Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±18.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 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.