Compare towns
Windham vs Effingham 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%).
Effingham has the most kids (19.5% 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 | Effingham | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,912 |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Effingham 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% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Effingham 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% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Effingham 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. |
$76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Windham and Effingham 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. |
$322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Windham and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,090±$121Highest 23% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Effingham 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. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Effingham 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% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Effingham 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 | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.