Compare towns
Braintree vs Proctor vs Troy 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 oldest population (median age 58.4).
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Proctor | Troy | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,794Highest |
1,749 |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
42.4±6.4Lowest about the VT average |
44.5±5.7 3% 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% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Troy 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% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
17.7%±3Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Troy 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 |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Troy and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$233,200±$21k 26% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
| Rochester and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405 32% below VT |
$1,029±$202Highest 17% below VT |
$646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Proctor and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 22% below VT |
$4,032Highest 20% below VT |
$3,644Lowest 28% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
30.8%±26.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.6% VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Troy School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.