Compare towns
Stratton vs Chester vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Stratton | Chester | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
2,992Highest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
51.6±7.3Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.8 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$979 about the VT average |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,750Highest 6% below VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$4,345 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±69.8 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 39% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Wardsboro 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| 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 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.