Compare towns
Chester vs Windham vs Kent
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).
Kent has the most people working from home (21.5%).
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 | Kent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,825 |
23,961Highest |
3,056Lowest |
| Median age | 54±3.4 31% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
55.8±4.3Highest 36% above CT |
| Kent and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9 CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
12.2%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Windham and Chester 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% |
30.6%±6.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Kent 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% CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
55.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
7.2%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,191±$18kHighest 14% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$96,064±$16k about the CT average |
| Chester and Kent are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,200±$25k 21% above CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$470,900±$78kHighest 28% above CT |
| Kent and Chester 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±$69 26% below CT |
$688±$205Lowest 54% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,364Highest 4% below CT |
$4,633 30% below CT |
$4,520Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
11.5%±11.1Lowest 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% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
70.9% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
20 minLowest 23% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.3%±5.6 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
21.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Kent 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 | #20 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chester School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Kent School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
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| 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.