Compare towns
Calais vs Ryegate vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
Windham has the oldest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Calais | Ryegate | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Highest |
1,059 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42±8.6 about the VT average |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
| Windham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
— |
| Calais and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.