Compare towns
Chester vs Sheldon 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%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Sheldon | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
2,267Lowest |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
| Brandon 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Brandon 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
| Sheldon and Brandon 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 |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
| Sheldon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
| Sheldon and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Sheldon 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | 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.