Compare towns
Hope vs Williston 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 the most affordable homes ($373k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
10,144Highest |
1,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
47.2±8.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Pownal and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest 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%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$104,333±$14k 29% above U.S. |
| Williston and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$436,800±$32k 31% above U.S. |
| Williston and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$5,212 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.