Compare towns
Pownal vs Castleton vs Brookfield 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 homeowners (92.6%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
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 | Castleton | Brookfield | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,265 |
4,453 |
1,486Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Pownal and Brookfield 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% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Pownal 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Brookfield and Castleton 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 |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,560 29% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 10% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None 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 History | None yet | 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.