Compare towns
Chester vs Westminster vs Springfield vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Westminster | Springfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
2,999 |
9,084Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| 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%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Westminster 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%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$4k 12% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 22% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$963±$100Highest 22% below VT |
— |
| Springfield 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 |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Windham 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Bellows Falls Union High School | Springfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.6 |
14.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.