Compare towns
Windham vs Orange vs Brookline 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 expensive homes ($354k median).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Orange | Brookline | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
7,573Highest |
531Lowest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Brookline 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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Brookline 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% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Brookline 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. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
| Windham and Brookline 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. |
$245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$960±$44 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.