Compare towns
Chester vs Danville vs St. Johnsbury
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%).
Danville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
St. Johnsbury has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Danville | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
2,360Lowest |
7,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+6.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
53.1±6Highest 23% above VT |
42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Danville 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 VT: 17.9% |
18.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Danville 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% |
24.7%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Danville 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% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$70,946±$7kHighest 13% below VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Danville and Chester 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 |
$275,800±$43kHighest 13% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Danville and Chester 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 |
— | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
| Chester and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$4,358Highest 14% below VT |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
9.5%±11.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.1% VT: 73.2% |
59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
20 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±9.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Danville and St. Johnsbury 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 | — | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.