Compare towns
Bethel vs Castleton vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the highest household income ($76k).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
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 | Bethel | Castleton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736 |
4,453Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kHighest 7% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Bethel and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41k 25% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
| Rochester and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Bethel and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Highest about the VT average |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.