Compare towns
Bethel vs Rochester vs Barnet
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).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Barnet has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Rochester | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736 |
1,389Lowest |
1,855Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-2.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±5.3Lowest 11% 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% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Bethel and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kHighest 7% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
| Bethel and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
$247,900±$24k 22% below VT |
| Rochester and Barnet 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 |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$974±$72 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Highest about the VT average |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,489 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Barnet 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% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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.