Compare towns
Windham vs Brewer 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 people working from home (20.5%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Brewer | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
9,652Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% 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% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Windham 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% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer 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 17% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Windham 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% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Brewer Public Schools | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Brewer High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
8.7Lowest |
| 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.