Compare towns
Dummerston vs Williston vs Bow vs Chesterfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Chesterfield has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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.
| Measure | Dummerston | Williston | Bow | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
10,144Highest |
8,335 |
3,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$102,370±$40k 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$373,500±$33k 12% above U.S. |
| Bow and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,324±$1kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Williston and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,344 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Bow 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH | #52 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Bow School District | Chesterfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.