Compare towns
Goshen vs Orwell vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Goshen has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Orwell has the most kids (21.8% 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 | Goshen | Orwell | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 142Lowest |
1,294 |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.9±8.3Highest 37% above VT |
47.5±7Lowest 10% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| Goshen and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.6%±11.6 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.3%±11.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Goshen and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±10Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,250±$33kLowest 31% below VT |
$70,417±$22k 13% below VT |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rochester and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,000±$115k 4% above VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Orwell and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,105±$51Highest 10% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Orwell and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,240Highest 4% above VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 62.1%±35.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
27 min 15% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | 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.