Compare towns
Windham vs Bellows Falls vs Brookline vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Brookline | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
2,891 |
531Lowest |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
| Chester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Bellows Falls 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 VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Chester 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 16% above VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 | — | — | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school 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 | 6 photos → |
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.