Compare towns
Hancock vs Chester 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 youngest population (median age 33.8).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Hancock | Chester | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
2,992Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Chester 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% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Chester 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% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34kHighest 6% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Hancock and Rochester 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 |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
| Rochester and Chester 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 |
$960±$44Highest 22% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Chester and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Chester 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.