Compare towns
Mapleton vs Chester vs Strong vs Washburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Chester has the most expensive homes ($233k median).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k 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 | Mapleton | Chester | Strong | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,992Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
47.5±8.9 22% above U.S. |
48.2±7.7 24% above U.S. |
| Chester and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
$47,557±$10kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$56,196±$6k 30% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kHighest 30% below U.S. |
$183,900±$29k 45% below U.S. |
$112,900±$14kLowest 66% below U.S. |
| Chester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 57% below U.S. |
$960±$44Highest 32% below U.S. |
$920±$276 35% below U.S. |
$482±$62Lowest 66% below U.S. |
| Chester and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 43% below U.S. |
$4,262Highest 37% above U.S. |
$1,950 37% below U.S. |
$1,571Lowest 50% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
20.9%±52.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±24.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Washburn and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strong 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
— | 12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.