Compare towns
Chester vs Gardner vs Windham vs Springfield
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 oldest population (median age 49.7).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Gardner | Windham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
21,148Highest |
594Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Chester and Windham 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% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Highest 22% below U.S. |
— | $963±$100 32% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 37% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Springfield 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Gardner | — | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Gardner High | — | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
13.5 |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.