Compare towns
Chester vs Durham vs Ludlow
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 affordable homes ($233k median).
Durham has the highest household income ($112k).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (21.3%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
10,681Highest |
1,990Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
52.2±6.2Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Ludlow and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ludlow 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±6.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$54,885±$14kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$370,200±$46k 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,112±$151 21% below U.S. |
| Durham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,890 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.2%±25.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Ludlow 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ludlow and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.