What stands out worked out from the figures below

Columbia has the most affordable homes ($159k median).

Chester has the highest household income ($65k).

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	Columbia	Chester
People
Population	529Lowest	598Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+0.5% ME: +2.6%
Median age	41.9±6.4Lowest 6% below ME	44±10Highest about the ME average
	Chester and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%	23.4%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.9%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4%	18.6%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.2%Highest ME: 36.2%	15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.1%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8%	1%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,667±$15kLowest 24% below ME	$64,500±$8kHighest 14% below ME
	Chester and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$158,700±$19kLowest 46% below ME	$172,500±$59kHighest 42% below ME
	Chester and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$894±$162Highest 22% below ME	$833±$51Lowest 27% below ME
	Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,226Lowest 60% below ME	$1,378Highest 55% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	16.7%±37.8Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.4%Highest ME: 10.7%	9%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	77.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME	1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 27% above ME	33 minHighest 34% above ME
Work from home	9%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	9.7%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Chester and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME 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.