Compare towns
Windham vs Colebrook vs Worcester 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).
Colebrook has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Colebrook | Worcester | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,988 |
831 |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.7±4.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| Colebrook and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Chester 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% |
27.8%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Colebrook 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% |
16.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 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. |
$51,159±$6kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
| 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 6% above U.S. |
$192,200±$59kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $750±$238Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136Highest 28% below U.S. |
$960±$44 32% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Chester 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. |
$4,350 39% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±19.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colebrook 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% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 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 | — | — | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Colebrook School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Colebrook Academy and Elementary School (H) | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.4Lowest |
— | 8.7Highest |
| 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.