Compare towns
Chester vs Lee 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).
Lee has the highest household income ($132k).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
4,576Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Lowest 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% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Lee 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% |
22.6%±6.8Lowest 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% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Chester 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. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Lee and Windham 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. |
$480,600±$61kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 32% below U.S. |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Lee 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% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Windham 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Oyster River Coop 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 History | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.