Compare towns
Braintree vs Stowe 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).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Stowe | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
5,285Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
46.3±7.6Lowest 7% 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Lowest 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% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Braintree and Stowe 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 |
$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Stowe 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±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest 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% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Stowe 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 | Stowe Town School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.