What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dudley	Chester
People
Population	11,929Highest	2,992Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S.	49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Dudley and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	33.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S.	$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S.	$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S.	$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S.	$4,262Highest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S.	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Chester and Dudley 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	#142 of 282 in MA	#49 of 70 in VT
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Green Mountain Unified School District #77
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Green Mountain Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	8.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.