Compare towns
Andover vs Brookfield vs Williston vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k 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 | Andover | Brookfield | Williston | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
1,486 |
10,144Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
| Chester and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Williston and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38k 26% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Williston and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,900±$68k 21% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
| Williston and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364 13% above VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Williston and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190 about the VT average |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Andover and Brookfield 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.