Compare towns
Windham vs Sutton vs Middlebury 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 people working from home (20.5%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Sutton | Middlebury | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
2,239 |
9,175Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Windham 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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 6% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 91% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Middlebury 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Kearsarge Regional School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Kearsarge Regional High School | Middlebury Union High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
12.6Highest |
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.