Compare towns
Bennington vs Pownal vs Windsor 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%).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Windsor | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,265Lowest |
3,554 |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Pownal and Windsor 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% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor 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%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Pownal 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% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
| Barre 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±$15k 33% below VT |
$256,600±$32kHighest 19% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Pownal and Bennington 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 |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,209Highest 3% 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% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 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% |
7.8%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% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 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 | #61 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 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.