What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).

Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chester	Westminster
People
Population	2,992Lowest	2,999Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	49.7±4.7Lowest 15% above VT	53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT
	Westminster 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%	18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9%
	Westminster and Chester 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%	27.6%±6.8Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Chester and Westminster 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%	46.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±4Highest VT: 7%	4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Chester and Westminster 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	$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT
	Westminster and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT	$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT
	Westminster and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$960±$44Highest 22% below VT	$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT
	Chester and Westminster 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	$4,063Lowest 19% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	8.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%	88.2%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 18% above VT	24 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9%
	Westminster 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	#53 of 70 in VT
School district	Green Mountain Unified School District #77	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District
High school in town	Green Mountain Union High School	Bellows Falls Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.7Lowest	10.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.