Compare towns
Chester vs Ware vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Ware | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Lowest |
10,048Highest |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49±9.1 26% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.5%±6.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Ware 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 U.S. |
$67,475±$15kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$64,163±$21k 21% below U.S. |
| Ware 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±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$256,600±$32k 23% below U.S. |
| Ware and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 32% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Highest 26% below U.S. |
$944±$139Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Ware and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Highest 37% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,560Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±18.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Ware | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.