Compare towns
Hancock vs Castleton vs Braintree vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most renters (40.5% rent).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Hancock | Castleton | Braintree | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,026 |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
| Rochester and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19 24% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Castleton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511 30% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$3,977Highest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.