Compare towns
Braintree vs Cornish vs Windsor 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).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Cornish | Windsor | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,816 |
3,554Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Cornish 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% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Cornish 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% |
27.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9 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% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Braintree and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28k 35% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,209 67% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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 | — | — | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Cornish School District | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 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.