Compare towns
Windham vs Hampden 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%).
Hampden has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Hampden | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
4,946Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
50.9±3.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±3.5Lowest 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%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Hampden 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% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Hampden 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 17% above U.S. |
$104,536±$16kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Hampden 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. |
$358,200±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Hampden and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,132±$107Highest 20% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,181Highest 98% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.9%±42.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Hampden 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 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 |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest 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 | — | #199 of 282 in MA | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Hampden-Wilbraham | 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.