Compare towns
Cabot vs Chester vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Cabot | Chester | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579 |
2,992Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Chester and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$77kHighest 15% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Cabot and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354Highest about the VT average |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Cabot and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,639Highest 8% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±26.7 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 27% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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 |
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.