Compare towns
Chester vs Stamford vs Wheelock
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 renters (13.3% rent).
Stamford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
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 | Stamford | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Highest |
963 |
717Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+4.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
49.4±5.5Lowest 15% above VT |
51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
| Wheelock 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% |
20.1%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Stamford and Wheelock 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% |
20.5%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Wheelock 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% VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
4.5%±3.4 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Stamford 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 |
$88,646±$9kHighest 9% above VT |
$64,792±$20k 20% below VT |
| Stamford and Wheelock 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 |
$303,200±$25kHighest 4% below VT |
$189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,583±$935Highest 28% above VT |
— |
| Stamford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$5,113Highest about the VT average |
$2,937Lowest 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
28.6%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Stamford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
95.4% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
31 minHighest 30% above VT |
28 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock 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 | Stamford School District | — |
| 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 | 6 photos → | 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.