Compare towns
Chester vs Townsend vs Windham
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).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Townsend | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
9,100Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Windham 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Windham 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.