Compare towns
Brookline vs Chester vs Windham vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Brookline | Chester | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
2,992Highest |
594 |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Chester and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest 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+ | 41.1% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
— | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 21% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Brookline 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 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.