Compare towns
Ware vs Chester vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Palmer Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Ware | Chester | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369 |
2,992Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Chester and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 26% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103Highest 24% below U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #49 of 70 in VT | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
9.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.