Compare towns
Windham vs Fairfax vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Fairfax has the most kids (24% 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 | Fairfax | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
5,226Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
| 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%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax 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 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Fairfax 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 16% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Fairfax 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 12% above VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
| Fairfax and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,080±$131Highest 12% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Fairfax and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 14% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Fairfax School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Highest |
8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.