Compare towns
Braintree vs Plainfield 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
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Braintree | Plainfield | Jericho | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,314 |
5,114Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
49.7±5.1 15% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jericho and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
65.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Jericho and Plainfield 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 VT average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$116,923±$16kHighest 44% above VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$493,100±$38kHighest 56% above VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,731±$111Highest 40% above VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$7,318Highest 45% above VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
79.3%±52.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Jericho and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
0.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 10% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | 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 History | None yet | 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.