Compare towns
Walden vs Chester vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Chester has the most renters (13.3% rent).
Topsham has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Walden | Chester | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037 |
2,992Highest |
999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2Lowest 13% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT |
| Topsham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
| Walden and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
| Walden and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$960±$44Highest 22% below VT |
$908±$398 26% below VT |
| Chester and Topsham 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 |
$4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Topsham 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.