Compare towns
Chester vs Dover vs Sutton vs Windham
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%).
Dover has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Sutton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992Highest |
1,466 |
790 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
46.6±5.7 8% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Dover and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Sutton 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% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Dover 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 |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Sutton 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 |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$231,100±$41kLowest 27% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Dover 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 |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$3,975Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Windham 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% |
12.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Windham 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| 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 | 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.