Compare towns
Proctor vs Chester vs Wallingford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($206k median).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
Wallingford has the most expensive homes ($262k 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 | Proctor | Chester | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,586Lowest |
2,992Highest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±8.9 10% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
45.9±10.8Lowest 6% above VT |
| Chester and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wallingford and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,060±$12k 8% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$80,230±$15kHighest about the VT average |
| Wallingford and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,000±$20kLowest 35% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$261,900±$44kHighest 17% below VT |
| Wallingford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,059±$200Highest 14% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
| Proctor and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$4,355Highest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.4%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Proctor and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 5% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Proctor 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 | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.