Compare towns
Danville vs Hartford vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danville has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
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 | Danville | Hartford | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,360Lowest |
10,736Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.1±6Highest 23% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
| Danville and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Danville and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,946±$7k 13% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Hartford and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,800±$43k 13% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
| Hartford and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,358 14% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 9.5%±11.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 39% above VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.7%±9.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Danville 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Hartford School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Hartford High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Highest |
8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.