Compare towns
Dummerston vs Rochester vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Townshend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Dummerston | Rochester | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Highest |
1,389Lowest |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
| Townshend and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Townshend and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Dummerston and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
| Dummerston and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$1,074±$80 13% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
| 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.