Compare towns
Castleton vs Chester vs Jay vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Chester has the oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Castleton | Chester | Jay | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,992 |
471Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Jay and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest 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+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
— | — |
| Castleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Windham 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.