The Town FilesPownal, Vermont
Town in Bennington County · population 3,258 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $256,600
- Household income
- $64,163
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 65 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 49.0
Pownal is a town of 3,258 people in Bennington County, Vermont. The median home is worth $256,600, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 86% of Vermont towns, more of a college town than 70% of Vermont towns.
How Pownal ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Pownal is worth $256,600, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $64,163, which is more affordable than 37% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $944 a month. 92.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pownal | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $256,600 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $944 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $64,163 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 92.6% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.3% | — |
Who lives in Pownal
| People | Pownal | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.0 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.5% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 16.4% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 89.3% |
Weather in Pownal
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 14.3°F. About 42.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.8 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pownal since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1998 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 22, 1964.
Severe weather in Bennington County since 1996
Bennington County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
| September 29, 2021 | Flood | DR-4621: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3567: Tropical Storm Henri |
Jobs and pay in Bennington County
Bennington County had 16,750 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,906 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Pownal itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Pownal
1 public school with 261 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pownal Elementary School | PK-6 | 261 | 15.4 |
Towns near Pownal
- Williamstown, MA5.6 mi · 4,308 people · home $439,300
- Bennington, VT5.9 mi · 8,795 people · home $191,700
- Williamstown, MA6.5 mi · 7,513 people · home $437,100
- Bennington, VT6.7 mi · 15,333 people · home $213,300
- Hoosick, NY9.2 mi · 6,711 people · home $177,200
- North Adams, MA9.3 mi · 12,961 people · home $195,900
- Hoosick Falls, NY10.3 mi · 3,216 people · home $154,600
- Adams, MA12.1 mi · 5,466 people · home $197,400
Pownal questions
Is Pownal, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pownal scores better for retirees than 30% of Vermont towns and quieter than 55%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.0).
How much does a house cost in Pownal?
The median owner-occupied home in Pownal is valued at $256,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,163, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $944 a month.
What is the weather like in Pownal?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 14.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.3 inches of precipitation a year and 64.8 inches of snow.
Does Pownal get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pownal since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1998. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)