Compare towns
Bennington vs Sheffield 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 renters (41.6% rent).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Pownal has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
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 | Sheffield | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
573Lowest |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
| 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%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Sheffield 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
28.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield 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±$7k 27% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$64,163±$21kHighest 21% below VT |
| Pownal and Bennington 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 |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$256,600±$32kHighest 19% 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 |
$967±$79 22% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$3,560 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Sheffield 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% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7Highest 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 |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | 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 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.