Compare towns
Chester vs Barre vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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.
| Measure | Chester | Barre | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
8,412Highest |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
| Chester and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Chester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
43.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$102,500±$38kHighest 26% above VT |
| Andover and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$382,900±$68kHighest 21% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
| Andover and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$5,190 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Andover 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.