Compare towns
Chester vs Colrain vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
Colrain has the highest household income ($81k).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Colrain | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
1,627Lowest |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7Lowest 28% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Brandon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brandon and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Colrain 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 U.S. |
$80,673±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225 25% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 37% above U.S. |
$4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
$4,241Lowest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chester and Brandon 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 | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mohawk Trail | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | 9.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.