Compare towns
Barnet 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
Barnet has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Barnet | Chester | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,855 |
2,992Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Chester and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15k 17% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24k 22% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72Highest 21% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
— |
| Barnet and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 11% below VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Chester 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.