Compare towns
Windham vs Bennington vs Westminster 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 most expensive homes ($354k median).
Bennington has the most renters (25.7% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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.
| Measure | Windham | Bennington | Westminster | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
1,588 |
497Lowest |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5 11% 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% |
26%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Windham 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% |
33.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Bennington 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. |
$83,875±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$81,000±$22k about the U.S. average |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Windham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$267,300±$15k 20% below U.S. |
$313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Windham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$960±$44 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,944 91% above U.S. |
$4,480 44% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% 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. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Contoocook Valley 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 | 6 photos → |
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.