Compare towns
Chester vs Northfield vs Windham
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 affordable homes ($233k median).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Northfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
5,920Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Northfield 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%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,018±$207Highest 18% below VT |
— |
| Northfield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.0Highest |
— |
| 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.