Compare towns
Braintree vs Castleton vs Exeter vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Braintree | Castleton | Exeter | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
4,453 |
16,151Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Exeter 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.