Compare towns
Chittenden vs Swanton 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).
Swanton has the most kids (24.3% under 18).
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 | Swanton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,318Lowest |
2,670Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below 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% |
24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.7 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chittenden and Swanton 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 |
$66,607±$27kLowest 18% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Chittenden and Rochester 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 |
$229,000±$15kLowest 28% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Chittenden and Rochester 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 |
$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Swanton and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,346Highest 6% above VT |
$4,370 13% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±21.6 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
20.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
18.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1952Lowest 24 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
21 minLowest 9% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
7.4%±4.8Lowest 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 | — | 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 |
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.