What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has the youngest population (median age 49.7).

Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).

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	Braintree
People
Population	2,992Highest	1,026Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	49.7±4.7Lowest 15% above VT	58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9%	12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Chester and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.8%±7.9Lowest VT: 21.4%	33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4%
	Braintree and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±4Highest VT: 7%	1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Chester and Braintree 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	$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT	$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT
	Chester and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$960±$44Highest 22% below VT	$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT
	Chester and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,262Highest 15% below VT	$3,908Lowest 22% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4%
	Braintree and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	11.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	81%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT	1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 18% above VT	26 minLowest 11% above VT
Work from home	14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9%
	Braintree 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	—
School district	Green Mountain Unified School District #77	Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59
High school in town	Green Mountain Union High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	8.7	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.