Compare towns
Chester vs Orange 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Orange | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Highest |
957 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Orange and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Orange 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% |
19.4%±4Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Orange 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 |
$71,302±$13k 12% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Orange 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 |
$222,000±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$3,545Lowest 30% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and Chester 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% |
7.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±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 | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | — |
| 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.