Compare towns
Chester vs Hanson vs Windham
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).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Hanson | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
10,660Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
42.8±3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% 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% |
21.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hanson and Windham 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% |
19.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Windham 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% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Hanson 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. |
$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
— |
| Hanson and Chester 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. |
$6,402Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Windham 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Chester 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Whitman-Hanson | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Whitman Hanson Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.