Compare towns
Pownal vs Washington vs Wheelock
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).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
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 | Washington | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Highest |
1,056 |
717Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1Lowest 14% above VT |
52.9±5.1Highest 23% above VT |
51±5.6 18% above VT |
| Washington and Wheelock 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% |
16.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock and Pownal 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% |
31% VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±2 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Wheelock and Washington 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 |
$66,103±$8kHighest 19% below VT |
$64,792±$20k 20% below VT |
| Washington and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32kHighest 19% below VT |
$217,700±$37k 31% below VT |
$189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT |
| Pownal and Washington 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 |
$996±$285Highest 19% below VT |
— |
| Washington and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,560Highest 29% below VT |
$3,485 31% below VT |
$2,937Lowest 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.5%±63.6 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Washington 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% |
3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.4% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 10% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | — |
| High school 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.