Compare towns
Clarendon vs Fair Haven vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Clarendon | Fair Haven | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,460Lowest |
2,724 |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.3±4.1Highest 21% above VT |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
| Clarendon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.5% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT |
$62,404±$16kHighest 23% below VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
| Fair Haven and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,900±$32k 30% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT |
| Chester and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$305Highest 11% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
| Clarendon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,740Lowest 26% below VT |
$3,865 23% below VT |
$4,262Highest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±27.1 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fair Haven and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
80.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Clarendon 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 | — | #66 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | Mill River Union High School | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4 |
12.8Highest |
8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 6 photos → |
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.