Compare towns
Lyndon vs Chester vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyndon has the highest household income ($69k).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.7%).
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.
| Measure | Lyndon | Chester | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,590Highest |
2,992Lowest |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±6.7Lowest 12% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above 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 | 13.1%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Pownal and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest 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+ | 30.3% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±2Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Lyndon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,786±$6kHighest 15% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
| Lyndon and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$21kLowest 28% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% 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 | $1,096±$123Highest 11% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
| Lyndon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,846 24% below VT |
$4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±15.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Lyndon and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
21 minLowest 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±3.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 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 | #44 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.