What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colchester has the most affordable homes ($394k median).

Essex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.8%).

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	Colchester	Essex
People
Population	17,648Highest	11,516Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+12.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT	42.4±1.9Highest about the VT average
	Essex and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	22.4%±3.3Highest VT: 17.9%
	Essex and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4%	19.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Essex 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%Lowest VT: 43.8%	57.6%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7%	2.8%±1.2Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,891±$9kLowest 21% above VT	$110,199±$14kHighest 36% above VT
	Essex and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,400±$25kLowest 25% above VT	$447,300±$14kHighest 41% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$122Lowest 19% above VT	$1,569±$138Highest 27% above VT
	Essex and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,471Lowest 9% above VT	$6,602Highest 31% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.2%±10.6Highest VT: 48.4%	45.9%±13.1Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Colchester and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Highest VT: 10.1%	5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	75.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT	1990Highest 14 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 15% below VT	22 minHighest 6% below VT
Work from home	19%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	21.5%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9%
	Essex and Colchester 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	#13 of 70 in VT
School district	Colchester School District	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51
High school in town	Colchester High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	—
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.