Compare towns
Pownal vs Springfield vs Windham vs Brandon
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).
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Brandon has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
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 | Springfield | Windham | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,265 |
9,084Highest |
594Lowest |
4,120 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 14% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
| Brandon 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% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Springfield 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% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Brandon and Springfield 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 |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $944±$139Lowest 24% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
— | $1,064±$225Highest 14% below VT |
| Brandon and Springfield 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 |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 10% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | None in town | Springfield High School | — | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.