Compare towns
Pownal vs Cornish vs Brandon
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%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Cornish | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265 |
1,816Lowest |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±9.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1 29% above U.S. |
| Cornish 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% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3Highest 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% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Cornish 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brandon and Cornish 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. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32k 23% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Pownal 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. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225 25% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,560Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,241 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Brandon 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal and Cornish 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 | Cornish School District | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | None 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.