Compare towns
Hancock vs Lowell 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).
Lowell has the most kids (30.7% 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 | Hancock | Lowell | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
1,070 |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6 22% below VT |
32.9±6.5Lowest 24% below VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
30.7%±6.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% VT: 43.8% |
19.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Hancock and Lowell 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 |
$57,404±$15kLowest 29% 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±$11k 41% below VT |
$183,400±$33kLowest 42% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
| Rochester and Hancock 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 |
$945±$46Highest 23% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Lowell 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 |
$2,810Lowest 44% below VT |
$3,977Highest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
26.3%±92.9 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Lowell 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% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
55 minHighest 135% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
7.5%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Lowell School District | 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.