Compare towns
Chittenden vs Sharon vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chittenden has the highest household income ($106k).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Chittenden | Sharon | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,318Lowest |
1,577Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chittenden and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,250±$28kHighest 31% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Chittenden and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,800±$35kHighest 10% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Chittenden and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$488 9% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Sharon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,346 6% above VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
26 minLowest 12% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 | Sharon 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 Our Story | 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.