Compare towns
Windham vs Gardner vs Chester vs Townshend
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 highest household income ($95k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Gardner | Chester | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
21,148Highest |
2,992 |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Townshend and Chester 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% |
18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Gardner 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. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Townshend 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. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Highest 22% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,074±$80 24% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Townshend 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. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
$5,364 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Gardner | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | Green Mountain Union High School | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
8.7 |
8.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.