Compare towns
Pownal vs Westminster 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).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k 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 | Westminster | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265 |
497Lowest |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±9.1 14% above VT |
43.3±11.5Lowest 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% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Brandon 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% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal and Brandon 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% |
45.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Brandon and Westminster 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 |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
| Westminster and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32k 19% below VT |
$313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
| Westminster and Pownal 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 |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
$1,064±$225Highest 14% below VT |
| Brandon 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 |
$4,480Highest 11% below VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Brandon 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% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 10% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.