Compare towns
Bennington vs Pownal vs Williston vs Barre
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Pownal has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Williston | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,265Lowest |
10,144 |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| 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% |
16.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston 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% |
27.5%±6.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 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 |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 minHighest 10% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest 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 | #67 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.