Compare towns
Windham vs Townsend vs Andover 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
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Townsend | Andover | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
9,100Highest |
616 |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Chester and Andover 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Andover 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,389±$364 about the U.S. average |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Andover 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | — | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
— | 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.