Compare towns
Windham vs Rochester vs Putney vs Chester
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).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Rochester | Putney | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,389 |
2,622 |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
| Rochester 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% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Putney 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% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester 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% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Windham and Putney 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 |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$960±$44Highest 22% below VT |
| Chester and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Putney 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% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester 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 | — | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | None 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 | 6 photos → | 6 photos → |
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.