Compare towns
Chester vs Mount Tabor vs Brandon
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 people working from home (14%).
Mount Tabor has the most expensive homes ($421k median).
Brandon has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
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 | Mount Tabor | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
304Lowest |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Lowest 15% above VT |
57.8±10.6Highest 34% above VT |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Brandon 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% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
42.4%±18.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mount Tabor 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% VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Brandon 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 |
— | $64,180±$12kHighest 21% below VT |
| Brandon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$420,500±$76kHighest 33% above VT |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$2,143±$367Highest 74% above VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$5,233Highest 4% above VT |
$4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11% VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1946Lowest 30 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
46 minHighest 94% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Mount Tabor 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 | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | 9.9Highest |
| 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.