Compare towns
Brookline vs Dover vs Rochester vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Dover has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Brookline | Dover | Rochester | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
1,466Highest |
1,389 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Brookline and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.