Compare towns
Dummerston vs Pownal vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Pownal has the oldest population (median age 49).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Dummerston | Pownal | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
3,265 |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Pownal and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±6.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$64,163±$21kLowest 21% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.6% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
21 minHighest 10% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston 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 | — | #67 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.