Compare towns
Hancock vs Plainfield vs Rochester vs Ripton
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).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Plainfield | Rochester | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
1,314 |
1,389Highest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Rochester and Plainfield 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Plainfield 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 17% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.