What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most affordable homes ($337k median).

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bristol	Windham
People
Population	3,778Lowest	16,038Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.9±4.8Highest 23% above U.S.	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Bristol and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bristol 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bristol and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,620±$8kLowest 8% below U.S.	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$337,300±$46kLowest about the U.S. average	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,275±$181Lowest 10% below U.S.	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,978Lowest 92% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	17.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	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	#13 of 120 in NH
School district	Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61	Windham School District
High school in town	Mt. Abraham Union High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.