Compare towns
Windham vs Cairo vs Chester vs Worcester
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).
Cairo has the most renters (24.8% rent).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Cairo | Chester | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
6,700Highest |
2,992 |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.2±4.2Lowest 14% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
| Chester and Worcester 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% |
17.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cairo 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% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester 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. |
$79,643±$22k about the U.S. average |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Windham and Cairo 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. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,015±$305 28% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136Highest 28% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Cairo 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. |
$4,246Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cairo 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% |
10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | — | #461 of 484 in NY | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.