Compare towns
Pownal vs Dummerston 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Dummerston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Dummerston | Petersburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Highest |
2,090 |
1,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 26% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
51.3±6.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Petersburgh and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Dummerston 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% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Petersburgh and Pownal 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. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$77,692±$15k 4% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32k 23% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$170,300±$23kLowest 49% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $944±$139Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$630 22% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Petersburgh 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. |
$4,536Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,223Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.2%±42.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.