Compare towns
Windham vs Castleton vs Sandgate 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).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Castleton | Sandgate | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
4,453Highest |
435Lowest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
| Sandgate and Chester 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% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton 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 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Sandgate 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Windham and Castleton 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 |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
— | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Castleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,167 37% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Windham 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% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | 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 | None yet |
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.