Compare towns
Highgate vs Calais vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most affordable homes ($281k median).
Calais has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Windham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Highgate | Calais | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
1,713 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44±7.4 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
| Windham and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14kLowest about the VT average |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21kLowest 11% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
— |
| Calais and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Windham 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.