Compare towns
Pownal vs Brandon vs Petersburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pownal has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Petersburgh has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
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 | Petersburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265 |
4,120Highest |
1,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±9.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1 29% above U.S. |
51.3±6.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Petersburgh and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brandon and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brandon and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,163±$21kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
$77,692±$15kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Petersburgh and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32kHighest 23% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23k 32% below U.S. |
$170,300±$23kLowest 49% below U.S. |
| 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 33% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225 25% below U.S. |
$1,100±$630Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Petersburgh and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,560 14% above U.S. |
$4,241Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,223Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.2%±42.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal and Brandon 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 | — |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.