What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).

Monson has the most people working from home (19.6%).

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	Chester	Monson
People
Population	598Highest	596Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	-11.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44±10Lowest about the ME average	47.4±13.1Highest 6% above ME
	Monson and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.4%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1%	20.3%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Chester and Monson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.6%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	31.4%±10.7Highest ME: 22.4%
	Monson and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	18%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8%	0.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Chester and Monson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,500±$8kHighest 14% below ME	$56,017±$4kLowest 25% below ME
	Chester and Monson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$172,500±$59kLowest 42% below ME	$178,100±$71kHighest 40% below ME
	Monson and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$833±$51 27% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,378Lowest 55% below ME	$1,664Highest 45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	16.7%±37.8Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±59.6Highest ME: 48.4%
	Monson and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9%Lowest ME: 10.7%	14.9%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	82.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME	1977Lowest same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 34% above ME	30 minLowest 23% above ME
Work from home	9.7%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.6%±17.7Highest ME: 15.9%
	Monson and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME 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.