What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chatham has the most kids (21.4% under 18).

Wilder has the most people working from home (12.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chatham	Wilder
People
Population	430Lowest	3,087Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+81.7% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.3±8.6Highest 24% above U.S.	45.5±8.9Lowest 17% above U.S.
	Chatham and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±7.4Highest U.S.: 22%	11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Chatham and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.5%±10Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Wilder and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wilder and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,042±$19kLowest 18% below U.S.	$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below U.S.
	Wilder and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,900±$42kHighest 9% above U.S.	$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,142±$451 19% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,690Lowest 18% above U.S.	$5,505Highest 76% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	39.9%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wilder and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 35% above U.S.	17 minLowest 37% below U.S.
Work from home	7.3%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	12.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wilder and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.