Compare towns
Bennington vs Newfane 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).
Newfane has the most expensive homes ($284k median).
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 | Newfane | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,456 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| Newfane 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% |
11.1%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Newfane 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% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rochester and Newfane 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 |
$284,200±$49kHighest 10% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Newfane and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Newfane and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$5,174Highest about the VT average |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7Lowest 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% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Newfane 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | 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.