Compare towns
Bennington vs Pownal vs Shaftsbury
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).
Pownal has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Pownal | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,265Lowest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
43±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| 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% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest 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% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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 |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
$86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT |
| Shaftsbury 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 |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
$267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT |
| Shaftsbury and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,079±$54 13% below VT |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,015 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Pownal and Bennington 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 | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | 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 |
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| 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.