Compare towns
Windham vs Chelsea vs Worcester
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).
Chelsea has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
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 | Chelsea | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,223Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Chelsea 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 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Chelsea 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% |
29.4%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chelsea 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% VT: 43.8% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Chelsea 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 |
$65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Windham and Worcester 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 |
$260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Chelsea and Worcester 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 |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea 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% |
14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 14% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.