Compare towns
Windham vs Whitingham vs Middlebury 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 highest household income ($95k).
Whitingham has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Whitingham | Middlebury | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,368 |
9,175Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
| Chester and Whitingham 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% |
19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Whitingham 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 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham 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% VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Windham and Middlebury 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 |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$5,055 about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Middlebury 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | — | Twin Valley Middle High School | Middlebury Union High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
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.