Compare towns
Chester vs Hyde Park vs Marshfield
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 oldest population (median age 49.7).
Hyde Park has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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 | Hyde Park | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Highest |
513 |
470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
42.6±10.1 about the VT average |
42.4±8.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Chester and Hyde Park 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% |
22.6%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Hyde Park and Marshfield 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% |
16.4%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Marshfield 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 |
$89,946±$10kHighest 11% above VT |
$84,375±$20k 4% above VT |
| Hyde Park and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT |
$221,800±$57k 30% below VT |
$178,300±$31kLowest 44% below VT |
| Chester and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,306±$285Highest 6% above VT |
$1,125±$79 9% below VT |
| Hyde Park and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$3,893 23% below VT |
$3,269Lowest 35% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±47.5 VT: 48.4% |
52.4%±62.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1964 12 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
26 minLowest 11% above VT |
29 minHighest 24% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.5%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield 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 | #59 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — | — |
| 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.