Compare towns
Chester vs Barre vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.7%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Chester | Barre | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Lowest |
8,412Highest |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
49±9.1 14% above VT |
| Chester and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Pownal and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$64,163±$21k 21% 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 | $232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$256,600±$32kHighest 19% below VT |
| Pownal and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 22% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Pownal and Chester 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— |
| 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.