Compare towns
Windham vs Sharon vs Chester vs Brookline
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).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Sharon | Chester | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
1,577 |
2,992Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Chester and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon 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 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Sharon 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 VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| 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 16% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Windham and Sharon 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 |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Windham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Sharon 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 |
$5,903 17% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
26 minLowest 12% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Sharon School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school 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 → | 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.