Compare towns
Windham vs Douglas 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Douglas | Chester | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
9,207Highest |
2,992 |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% 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% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas 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% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 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% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer 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 |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Douglas 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Douglas | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
8.7Highest |
— |
| 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.