Compare towns
Windham vs West Bath vs Worcester 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 kids (17.5% under 18).
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | West Bath | Worcester | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,863 |
831 |
2,992Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and West Bath 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% |
29.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and West Bath 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% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%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% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester 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 17% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| West Bath 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. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| West Bath and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,112±$327Highest 21% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| West Bath and Worcester 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. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$4,262 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and West Bath 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | — | — | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | West Bath Public Schools | 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 → |
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.