Compare towns
Chester vs Hartland vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Hartland has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Hartland | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
3,460Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
55.8±5.1Highest 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Hartland 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 VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.6 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Hartland 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% |
28.4%±5.8 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Hartland 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% |
36.6% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Hartland 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 |
$86,136±$23k 6% above VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Hartland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$348,600±$39k 10% above VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Hartland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 22% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$6,437Highest 28% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.1%±89.7 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and Hartland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.5% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
91.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
13.4%±6.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #29 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Hartland School District | — |
| 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 Our Story | None yet | 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.