Compare towns
Chester vs Unity vs Windham vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the oldest population (median age 58).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
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 | Unity | Windham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
1,375 |
594Lowest |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Unity and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Chester 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% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Springfield 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. |
$87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Windham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
$276,100±$29k 17% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
— | $963±$100 32% below U.S. |
| Unity and Springfield 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. |
$5,394 73% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield 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% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Springfield 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 | — | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Unity School District | — | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | — | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | — | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.