Compare towns
Chester vs Windham vs Worcester
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).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% 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 | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992 |
594Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below 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% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Worcester 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% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest 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% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Windham 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. |
— | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,733 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Worcester 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | — | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.