Compare towns
Windsor vs Brandon vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most homeowners (89.1%).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Chelsea has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Brandon | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690Lowest |
4,120Highest |
2,823 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±8 12% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
42.2±3.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Brandon and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chelsea and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chelsea and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,178±$5kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
$85,471±$10kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22kHighest 31% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23k 32% below U.S. |
$182,300±$37kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400 10% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,373±$90Highest about the U.S. average |
| Chelsea and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$4,241Highest 36% above U.S. |
$2,313 26% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
15%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 35% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brandon and Windsor 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 | #44 of 133 in ME | #69 of 70 in VT | #93 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.