Compare towns
Pownal vs Putney vs Dummerston
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 most affordable homes ($257k median).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Dummerston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Putney | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Highest |
2,622 |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
| Pownal and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,163±$21kLowest 21% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Putney 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 |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $944±$139 24% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 10% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.