Compare towns
Bennington vs Hartford vs Williston 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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Hartford has the youngest population (median age 43.2).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Pownal has the most homeowners (92.6%).
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 | Hartford | Williston | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
10,736 |
10,144 |
3,265Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
| Pownal and Williston 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% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Hartford 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% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest 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% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Williston 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 |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Pownal 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% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
21 minHighest 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Hartford School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Hartford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.