Compare towns
Pownal vs Calais 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 oldest population (median age 49).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Calais | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265 |
1,713Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Pownal and Bennington 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% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Bennington 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 |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Calais 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 |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Calais 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 |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Calais 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 10% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Pownal 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 |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| 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.