Compare towns
Windham vs Moriah vs Mendon 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 kids (17.5% under 18).
Moriah has the most affordable homes ($138k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Moriah | Mendon | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
4,483Highest |
1,113 |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
56.7±3Highest 46% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| Moriah and Mendon 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% |
15.4%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Moriah 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% |
33.4%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Moriah and Chester 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% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Mendon 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. |
$63,113±$6k 22% below U.S. |
$100,524±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Mendon 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. |
$138,200±$9kLowest 58% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $832±$165Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$960±$44 32% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Chester 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. |
$2,644Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±25.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Moriah 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% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 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 |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon 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 | — | #380 of 484 in NY | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | MORIAH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | MORIAH JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
— | 8.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.