What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pownal has the most homeowners (92.6%).

St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pownal	St. Albans
People
Population	3,265Lowest	6,954Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	49±9.1Highest 14% above VT	38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT
	Pownal and St. Albans 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%	20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9%
	St. Albans 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%	13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	31.7%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7%	2.7%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
	St. Albans and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,163±$21kHighest 21% below VT	$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT
	Pownal and St. Albans 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	$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT
	St. Albans and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$944±$139Lowest 24% below VT	$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT
	St. Albans and Pownal 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	$4,436Highest 12% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.4%±18.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	St. Albans 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%	19.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.6%Highest VT: 73.2%	49%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT	1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 10% below VT	23 minHighest 4% below VT
Work from home	16.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9%	12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Pownal and St. Albans 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	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	None in town	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.