Compare towns
Pownal vs Brandon vs Bennington
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 expensive homes ($257k median).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
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 | Brandon | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Lowest |
4,120 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 14% above VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
| Brandon 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% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Bennington 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% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and Bennington 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% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brandon 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 |
$64,180±$12kHighest 21% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Brandon 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±$32kHighest 19% below VT |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Pownal and Brandon 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 |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Bennington and Brandon 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 |
$4,241 16% below VT |
$4,513Highest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest 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% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 10% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.