Compare towns
Windham vs Ware vs Townshend 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 expensive homes ($354k median).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Ware | Townshend | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,538 |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| Townshend 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% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 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%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% 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% |
1.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest 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. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Windham and Townshend 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. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,074±$80Highest 24% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Townshend and Ware 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. |
$5,364 72% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend and Ware 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% 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% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
8.1Lowest |
8.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.