Compare towns
Pownal vs Middlesex vs Stamford
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Stamford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
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 | Middlesex | Stamford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Highest |
1,943 |
963Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+4.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 14% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
49.4±5.5Highest 15% above VT |
| Stamford and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.1%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Stamford 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% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
20.5%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and Middlesex 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.5%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Stamford 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 VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$88,646±$9k 9% above VT |
| Middlesex and Stamford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32kLowest 19% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$303,200±$25k 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,583±$935Highest 28% above VT |
| Stamford and Middlesex 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 |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,113 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
28.6%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Stamford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
95.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 10% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
31 minHighest 30% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Stamford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.