Compare towns
Bloomfield vs Chester vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bloomfield has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
Columbia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Bloomfield | Chester | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 234Lowest |
2,992Highest |
683 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±12Lowest 8% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
51.8±10.1Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±14.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bloomfield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±8.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,375±$17kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8kHighest 23% below U.S. |
$57,917±$13k 28% below U.S. |
| Chester and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$63kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kHighest 30% below U.S. |
$196,400±$29k 41% below U.S. |
| Chester and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $960±$44Highest 32% below U.S. |
$792±$333Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Chester and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,800 10% below U.S. |
$4,262Highest 37% above U.S. |
$2,009Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 11.5%±12.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
9.1%±95.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chester and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chester and Columbia 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 | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.