Compare towns
Waltham vs Chester vs Rupert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Rupert has the most expensive homes ($363k 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 | Waltham | Chester | Rupert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
2,992Highest |
676 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
49.7±4.7Lowest 15% above VT |
57.8±9.7 34% above VT |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Chester and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
42.3%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$88,229±$36k 9% above VT |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51k 4% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$362,500±$63kHighest 14% above VT |
| Rupert and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113Highest 11% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
— |
| Waltham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714Highest 13% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$4,594 9% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
20%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±9.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Rupert 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | — |
| 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.