Compare towns
Chittenden vs Williamstown 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 most expensive homes ($347k median).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Williamstown | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,318Lowest |
3,579Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
42±5Lowest about the VT average |
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% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown 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% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williamstown and Chittenden 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 |
$94,418±$10k 16% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Chittenden and Williamstown 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 |
$234,900±$24kLowest 26% 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 |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Williamstown 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 |
$3,841Lowest 24% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Rochester 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% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #47 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.