What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).

Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chester	Hartford
People
Population	2,992Lowest	10,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT	43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average
	Chester and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	18%±3Highest VT: 17.9%
	Hartford and Chester 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%	22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Chester and Hartford 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 VT: 43.8%	47.6%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±4Highest VT: 7%	4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%
	Chester and Hartford 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 VT	$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT	$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT	$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,262Lowest 15% below VT	$5,773Highest 15% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	44.6%±12.7Highest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	11.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT	1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 18% above VT	18 minLowest 22% below VT
Work from home	14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9%	13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Chester and Hartford 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	#34 of 70 in VT
School district	Green Mountain Unified School District #77	Hartford School District
High school in town	Green Mountain Union High School	Hartford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.7Lowest	9.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.