Compare towns
Brandon vs Pownal vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k median).
Pownal has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Brandon | Pownal | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120Highest |
3,265 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
49±9.1 14% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Brandon and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brandon and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
$64,163±$21kLowest 21% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225Highest 14% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
— |
| Brandon and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241 16% below VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 10% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | #67 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| 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.