Compare towns
Whitingham vs Chelsea vs Pawlet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitingham has the highest household income ($71k).
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Whitingham | Chelsea | Pawlet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,368 |
1,223Lowest |
1,480Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±7.1Lowest 8% above VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
47.9±7.5 11% above VT |
| Chelsea and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.3%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Chelsea and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% VT: 43.8% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Chelsea and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,625±$11kHighest 13% below VT |
$65,913±$13k 19% below VT |
$62,273±$14kLowest 23% below VT |
| Whitingham and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
$266,200±$44kHighest 16% below VT |
| Pawlet and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
$1,153±$215 7% below VT |
| Chelsea and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,055Highest about the VT average |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$3,924 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.6%±21.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.3% VT: 10.1% |
10%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 62% above VT |
30 minLowest 28% above VT |
33 min 40% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8 VT: 16.9% |
20.4%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Pawlet and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Mettawee School District #84 |
| High school in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8 |
— | — |
| 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.