Compare towns
Bennington vs St. Albans vs Windsor 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | St. Albans | Windsor | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
6,954 |
3,554 |
3,265Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
| 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% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Windsor 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3 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% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and St. Albans 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 |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% 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 |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
| St. Albans and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| St. Albans and Bennington 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 |
$4,436 12% below VT |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and St. Albans 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% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.