Compare towns
Windham vs Worcester 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 most kids (17.5% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Worcester | Middlebury | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
831 |
7,220Highest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
| Chester and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Chester 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% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6 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% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$86,250±$18k 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 |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Middlebury and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Windham 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% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school 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 | 6 photos → | 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.