Compare towns
Bristol 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
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Bristol | Chester | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
2,992 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Chester and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Bristol 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | Green Mountain Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.