Compare towns
Windham vs Plainfield vs Chester vs Jamaica
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Jamaica has the most people working from home (23.2%).
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 | Plainfield | Chester | Jamaica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,314 |
2,992Highest |
882 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
55.1±5.5Highest 28% above VT |
| Jamaica 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 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.7%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
30%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Jamaica 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Jamaica 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 16% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$79,219±$19k about the VT average |
| Windham and Jamaica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$347,800±$50k 10% above VT |
| Windham and Jamaica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$870±$464Lowest 29% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$4,773 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
7.1%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
96.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Jamaica 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 | — | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | — | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.