Compare towns
Windsor vs Chester vs North Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
North Bennington has the most expensive homes ($313k 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 | Windsor | Chester | North Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060 |
2,992Highest |
1,336Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
43.9±10Lowest about the VT average |
| Chester and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$68,571±$10kHighest 16% below VT |
| North Bennington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average |
| North Bennington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107 19% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,590Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| North Bennington and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1957 19 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| North Bennington and Chester 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school 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 |
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.