Compare towns
Cavendish vs Chester vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the highest household income ($89k).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Cavendish | Chester | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
2,992Highest |
1,466 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
| Dover and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
| Cavendish and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
| Dover and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Highest 19% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
| Cavendish and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$4,510Highest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Dover and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Cavendish 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 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| 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 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.