Compare towns
Chester vs Windham vs Chester Center
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the highest household income ($109k).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Chester Center has the most people working from home (19.9%).
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 | Chester | Windham | Chester Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,825 |
23,961Highest |
2,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +10.4% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 54±3.4Highest 31% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
44.9±13.7 9% above CT |
| Chester and Chester Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
17.6%±5.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Windham and Chester Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4 CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
33.7%±5.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Chester Center and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.1% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±4.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,191±$18kHighest 14% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$89,375±$43k 7% below CT |
| Chester and Chester Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,200±$25kHighest 21% above CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$422,500±$48k 15% above CT |
| Chester and Chester Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$247Highest 4% above CT |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,473±$358 about the CT average |
| Chester and Chester Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,364Highest 4% below CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$5,867 12% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
49.1%±30.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Chester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
17.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
69.2% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 2 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1960 7 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
25 min 7% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.3%±5.6 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
19.9%±9.2Highest CT: 16% |
| Chester Center and Chester 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 | #8 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Chester School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.