Compare towns
Windham vs Underhill vs Calais 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Underhill has the most kids (27.8% under 18).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Underhill | Calais | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
3,141Highest |
1,713 |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.1±11.4Lowest 12% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
| Chester and Windham 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% |
27.8%±10.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Underhill and Calais 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% |
17.6%±6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
50.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±2 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$92,267±$54k 14% above VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below 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 |
$446,000±$24kHighest 41% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
| Underhill and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$6,697Highest 33% above VT |
$6,586 31% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 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% |
6.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 14% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais 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 | — | #2 of 70 in VT | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 | None yet | 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.