Compare towns
Pownal vs Proctor 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 most people working from home (16.4%).
Proctor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
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 | Proctor | Petersburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Highest |
1,794 |
1,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 26% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4Lowest 9% 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% |
21.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Proctor 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% |
22.4%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Proctor and Petersburgh 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. |
$74,167±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$77,692±$15kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Petersburgh and Proctor 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. |
$209,900±$17k 37% below U.S. |
$170,300±$23kLowest 49% below U.S. |
| Pownal and Proctor 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. |
$1,029±$202 27% below U.S. |
$1,100±$630Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Petersburgh and Proctor 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. |
$4,032Highest 29% above U.S. |
$3,223Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.2%±42.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Petersburgh 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% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal and Proctor 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 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.