Compare towns
Windham vs Sheldon vs Calais
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 most renters (17.1% rent).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Sheldon | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
2,267Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
| Windham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Calais 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% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
| Calais 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 12% above VT |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,286±$379Lowest 4% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.