Compare towns
Brandon vs Gray vs Windham vs Chittenden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k median).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Chittenden has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Brandon | Gray | Windham | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,120 |
8,429 |
19,188Highest |
1,318Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1 29% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.8±6.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Chittenden and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brandon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$106,250±$28k 32% above U.S. |
| Windham and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$346,800±$35k 4% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$488 20% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241 36% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$5,346Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.8%±55.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Chittenden 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.