Compare towns
Baltimore vs Chester vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baltimore has the highest household income ($108k).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
Waterville has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
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 | Baltimore | Chester | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 361Lowest |
2,992Highest |
680 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.2±10.3Highest 19% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
49.1±8.2Lowest 14% above VT |
| Baltimore and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.9%±6.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2.7Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,500±$16kHighest 32% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
| Baltimore and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,400±$27kLowest 31% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$236,300±$15kHighest 25% below VT |
| Waterville and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,110±$93Highest 10% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,329Highest 14% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±100 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Baltimore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.8%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Baltimore 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 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| 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.