Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Castleton vs Windham vs Chesterfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Chesterfield has the most kids (21.5% 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 | Brattleboro | Castleton | Windham | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
4,453 |
594Lowest |
3,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$373,500±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
— | $1,324±$1kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Chesterfield 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #52 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Chesterfield School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.