Compare towns
Penobscot vs Windsor vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Penobscot | Windsor | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
2,060Highest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7Highest 37% above U.S. |
44.6±12.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
52.4±5.6 35% above U.S. |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$74,508±$12kHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Surry and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,400±$58kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$170,300±$22kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$296,300±$36k 11% below U.S. |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,002±$107 29% below U.S. |
$969±$129Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Penobscot and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,903 39% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±59.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Penobscot and Surry 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Penobscot Public Schools | — | Surry Public Schools |
| High school 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.