Compare towns
Windham vs Ashland vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Ashland has the most renters (35.9% rent).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Windham | Ashland | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
2,183 |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,096±$155Highest 22% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Ashland and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,961 59% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 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 | — | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Ashland School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.