What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the highest household income ($190k).

Essex Junction has the most affordable homes ($408k 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	Essex Junction
People
Population	16,038Highest	10,803Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+14.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S.	39.3±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average
	Windham and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Windham and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	52.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Essex Junction 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.	$89,257±$16kLowest 11% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.	$407,500±$20kLowest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.	$1,544±$135Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$6,797Lowest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Essex Junction and Windham 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%	9.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.	1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	19 minLowest 27% below U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham and Essex Junction 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	#14 of 70 in VT
School district	Windham School District	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51
High school in town	Windham High School	Essex High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.