Compare towns
Bennington vs Dover vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Bennington | Dover | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,466 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rochester and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Bennington and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Dover 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.