What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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	16,038Highest	2,992Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.	49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S.
Kids under 18	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest 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	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.	$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.	$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.	$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±50.9Highest 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	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±4.4Highest 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	#13 of 120 in NH	#49 of 70 in VT
School district	Windham School District	Green Mountain Unified School District #77
High school in town	Windham High School	Green Mountain Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	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.