Compare towns
Windham vs Hatfield 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%).
Hatfield has the most expensive homes ($441k median).
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 | Hatfield | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
3,325Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.8±5 20% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Hatfield 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%±4.3Lowest 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% |
23.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Hatfield 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% |
48.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$89,005±$25k 10% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Windham and Hatfield 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. |
$440,800±$26kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,267±$216Highest 10% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,930 58% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.6%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hatfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 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 |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Hatfield 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 | — | #198 of 282 in MA | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Hatfield | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Smith Academy | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 6.1Lowest |
8.7Highest |
| 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.