Compare towns
Westminster vs Townshend vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k 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 | Westminster | Townshend | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
1,538 |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5Lowest about the VT average |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
| Townshend and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Westminster and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
| Westminster and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
$1,074±$80Highest 13% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
| Townshend and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 11% below VT |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 26% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.1Lowest |
8.7Highest |
| 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.