Compare towns
Chester vs Middlesex vs Sandgate
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 renters (13.3% rent).
Middlesex has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Middlesex | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Highest |
1,943 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Sandgate 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex 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 VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
— |
| Middlesex and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Chester and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Middlesex 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 | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| 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 | 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.