Compare towns
Bennington vs West 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 most renters (41.6% rent).
West Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+22.3%).
Pownal has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | West Windsor | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,171Lowest |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+22.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
54±5.9Highest 25% above VT |
49±9.1 14% above VT |
| West Windsor and Pownal 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% |
19.8%±10Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| West Windsor and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and West Windsor 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% |
59.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.1%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| West Windsor 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±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$108,750±$18kHighest 34% above VT |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$393,500±$41kHighest 24% above VT |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,100±$217 11% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| Bennington and West Windsor 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 |
$5,860Highest 16% above VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±3.2 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Pownal and West Windsor 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 | Mount Ascutney School District #86 | 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 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.