Compare towns
Windham vs Ware vs Chester vs Jamaica
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 highest household income ($95k).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Jamaica has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Ware | Chester | Jamaica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
10,048Highest |
2,992 |
882 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
55.1±5.5Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Jamaica and Chester 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Jamaica and Chester 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Ware 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 17% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$79,219±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Jamaica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$347,800±$50k 5% above U.S. |
| Windham and Jamaica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109Highest 26% below U.S. |
$960±$44 32% below U.S. |
$870±$464Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Ware and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
$4,773 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±12.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jamaica 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Ware | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
8.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
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.