Compare towns
Pownal vs Bennington vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pownal has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | Pownal | Bennington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265 |
15,249Highest |
2,880Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 14% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
| Berlin and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±6.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above VT |
| Berlin and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$273,600±$31kHighest 14% below VT |
| Berlin and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
| Berlin and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$4,418 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 10% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Pownal and Bennington 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
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| 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.