What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windham	Chester
People
Population	19,188Highest	2,992Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S.	49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Windham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Chester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.	$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S.	$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S.	$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S.
	Windham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S.	$4,262Highest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham 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	#95 of 133 in ME	#49 of 70 in VT
School district	RSU 14	Green Mountain Unified School District #77
High school in town	Windham High School	Green Mountain Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	8.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	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.