Compare towns
Windham vs Greenfield 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 highest household income ($95k).
Greenfield has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Greenfield | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
17,664Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.6±2.1 15% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Greenfield 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%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Greenfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Greenfield 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% |
39.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Greenfield 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. |
$55,614±$7kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$263,100±$16k 21% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,107±$67Highest 22% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,769 53% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.2%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Greenfield 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% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Chester 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 | — | #257 of 282 in MA | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Greenfield | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Greenfield High | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
8.7Lowest |
| 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.