Compare towns
Chester vs Lee vs Windham vs Berlin
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).
Lee has the most renters (28.9% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
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 | Lee | Windham | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
5,719Highest |
594Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4 30% above U.S. |
| Lee and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Chester 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% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Lee 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. |
$83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Windham and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$352,700±$19k 6% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
| Windham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,375±$212Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Lee and Berlin 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. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee and Windham 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% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Lee | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Lee Middle/High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
9.2Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.