Compare towns
Windham vs Durham 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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
10,681Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Windham 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Durham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 91% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest 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. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | — | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.