Compare towns
Athens vs Chester vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k 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 | Athens | Chester | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
2,992Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Chester and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
— |
| Athens and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Athens and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Athens 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school 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 |
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.