Compare towns
Hope vs Bennington 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
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Pownal has the most people working from home (23.9%).
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 | Hope | Bennington | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
15,249Highest |
1,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
47.2±8.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Pownal and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$104,333±$14kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$436,800±$32kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Hope and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$5,212Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal and Hope 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.