Compare towns
Chester vs Dudley 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%).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
Brandon has the shortest commute (24 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 | Dudley | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Lowest |
11,929Highest |
4,120 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% 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% |
20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dudley and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Brandon 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
| Dudley 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. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225 25% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Highest 37% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,241 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dudley and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
9.9 |
| 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.