Compare towns
Bethel vs Jericho 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 most affordable homes ($238k median).
Jericho has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Jericho | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736 |
5,114Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
49.7±5.1Lowest 15% above 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% |
19.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
20.2%±4.4Lowest 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% |
65.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Jericho and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7k 7% below VT |
$116,923±$16kHighest 44% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$493,100±$38kHighest 56% above VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220 8% above VT |
$1,731±$111Highest 40% above VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168 about the VT average |
$7,318Highest 45% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Lowest VT: 48.4% |
79.3%±52.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Jericho and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
0.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.8%±6.4 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Jericho 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 | — | #6 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— |
| 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.