Compare towns

Chester vs Proctor vs Enosburgh 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 oldest population (median age 49.7).
Proctor has the highest household income ($74k).
Enosburgh has the most renters (24.3% 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.

MeasureChesterProctorEnosburghPownal
People
Population
2,992
1,794Lowest
2,804
3,265Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-4.7%
VT: +2.8%
+1.3%Highest
VT: +2.8%
—
-7.6%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
49.7±4.7Highest
15% above VT
42.4±6.4
about the VT average
40.6±3.9Lowest
6% below 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%
21.8%±4.4Highest
VT: 17.9%
21%±4.2
VT: 17.9%
16.4%±5.3
VT: 17.9%
Proctor and Enosburgh 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%
22.4%±2.5
VT: 21.4%
17.9%±3.3Lowest
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%Highest
VT: 43.8%
28.1%
VT: 43.8%
20.1%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
28.2%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±4
VT: 7%
3.6%±1.7
VT: 7%
5.4%±2.4Highest
VT: 7%
1.3%±1.5Lowest
VT: 7%
Enosburgh and Chester 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
$74,167±$12kHighest
9% below VT
$63,828±$17k
21% below VT
$64,163±$21k
21% below VT
Proctor 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
$209,900±$17kLowest
34% below VT
$223,100±$39k
30% 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
$1,029±$202Highest
17% below VT
$852±$87Lowest
31% below VT
$944±$139
24% below VT
Proctor and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,262Highest
15% below VT
$4,032
20% below VT
$3,624
28% below VT
$3,560Lowest
29% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
11.5%±12.3Lowest
VT: 48.4%
37.3%±16.2
VT: 48.4%
48.9%±11.2Highest
VT: 48.4%
48.4%±18.5
VT: 48.4%
Enosburgh and Pownal 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%
16.2%Highest
VT: 10.1%
13.9%
VT: 10.1%
8.6%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7%
VT: 73.2%
86.7%
VT: 73.2%
75.7%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
92.6%Highest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1972Highest
4 yrs older than VT
1938Lowest
38 yrs older than VT
1972Highest
4 yrs older than VT
1969
7 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
18% above VT
22 min
6% below VT
32 minHighest
36% above VT
21 minLowest
10% below VT
Work from home
14%±6.9
VT: 16.9%
9.4%±4.6Lowest
VT: 16.9%
10.1%±4.4
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 — #26 of 70 in VT #67 of 70 in VT
School district Green Mountain Unified School District #77 Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87
High school in town Green Mountain Union High School Proctor Junior/Senior High School Enosburg Falls Middle/High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
8.7Lowest
8.7Lowest
10.4Highest
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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.