Compare towns
Pownal vs Petersburgh vs Bennington
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 expensive homes ($257k median).
Petersburgh has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Petersburgh | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265 |
1,310Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 26% above U.S. |
51.3±6.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% 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% |
16%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington 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% |
23.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,163±$21k 21% below U.S. |
$77,692±$15kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Petersburgh 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±$32kHighest 23% below U.S. |
$170,300±$23kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Pownal and Bennington 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. |
$1,100±$630 22% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Bennington 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. |
$3,223Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.2%±42.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Pownal 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal and Bennington 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 | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school 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 |
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.