Compare towns
Chester vs Salisbury vs Windham vs Berlin
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).
Salisbury has the most expensive homes ($479k median).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
Berlin has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Salisbury | Windham | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
9,281Highest |
594Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Berlin 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% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Salisbury 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. |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Windham and Salisbury 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. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
— | $1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Windham 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Triton | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet | 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.