Compare towns
Chester vs Old Bennington 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 the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Pownal has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Old Bennington | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
182Lowest |
3,265Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
45±21.3Lowest 4% above VT |
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%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Chester 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% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Pownal 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 |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 22% below VT |
$1,063±$1kHighest 14% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| Old Bennington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
21 minLowest 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #49 of 70 in VT | — | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.