Compare towns
Chester vs Ware vs Windham vs Grafton
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).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Grafton has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
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 | Ware | Windham | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
10,048Highest |
594Lowest |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
59.2±4.4Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Grafton 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grafton and Chester 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. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$76,111±$7k 6% below U.S. |
| Windham and Grafton 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. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$343,200±$85k 3% above U.S. |
| Windham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,288±$174Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Grafton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 37% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,843 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±69.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Grafton 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Grafton 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Ware | — | Athens Grafton School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— | — |
| 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.