Compare towns
Colchester vs Chesterfield vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colchester has the most people working from home (19%).
Chesterfield has the most affordable homes ($143k median).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Colchester | Chesterfield | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,648Highest |
2,492Lowest |
10,769 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.2±5.3Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.6±2.5 7% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colchester and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,891±$9k 21% above U.S. |
$65,278±$24kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$25kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$142,900±$49kLowest 57% below U.S. |
$372,500±$20k 12% above U.S. |
| Colchester and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$122 4% above U.S. |
$1,114±$43Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,536±$257Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Milton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,471 75% above U.S. |
$2,071Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$5,610Highest 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±20.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Milton 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% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Colchester and Milton 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | — | #56 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Colchester School District | — | Milton School District |
| High school in town | Colchester High School | — | Milton Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.