Compare towns
Windham vs Dalton 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%).
Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
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 | Dalton | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
6,256Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Dalton 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Dalton 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. |
$79,438±$8k about the U.S. average |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Windham and Dalton 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. |
$295,700±$26k 11% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$960±$44Highest 32% below U.S. |
| Chester and Dalton 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. |
$4,276 37% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 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 |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest 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 | — | #192 of 282 in MA | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Central Berkshire | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Wahconah Regional High | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
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.