Compare towns
Chester vs Dover vs Montgomery
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 affordable homes ($233k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Montgomery has the most kids (15.5% under 18).
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 | Dover | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Highest |
1,466 |
1,047Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Lowest 15% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
| Dover and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Montgomery and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kHighest 23% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$53,289±$24k 34% below VT |
| Chester and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
| Dover and Montgomery 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 |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$868±$209 30% below VT |
| Chester and Montgomery 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 |
$4,510Highest 10% below VT |
$4,326 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Dover 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% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Montgomery 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.