Compare towns
Charleston vs Derby vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charleston has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Derby has the highest household income ($80k).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k 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 | Charleston | Derby | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 936Lowest |
4,537Highest |
2,682 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
51.6±2.1Lowest 33% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6 39% above U.S. |
| Charleston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Derby and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charleston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,286±$17kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$80,250±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$61,275±$7k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$53kHighest 28% below U.S. |
$225,000±$10k 32% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Charleston and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$444 31% below U.S. |
$1,096±$118Highest 22% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Derby and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750 20% above U.S. |
$3,449Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$4,334Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±26.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±18.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Derby and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Charleston and Derby 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 | — | #52 of 70 in VT | #57 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Charleston School District | Derby School District · North Country Union Junior High School District | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.