Compare towns
Hancock vs Poultney 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 highest household income ($76k).
Poultney has the youngest population (median age 28.2).
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 | Poultney | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
1,033 |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -33.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6 22% below VT |
28.2±4.5Lowest 35% below VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.8%±5 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Poultney 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%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.4% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
22.1%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34kHighest 6% below VT |
$70,536±$11kLowest 13% 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 |
$196,600±$43k 38% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
| Rochester and Poultney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19Highest 24% below VT |
$868±$113Lowest 30% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Hancock and Rochester 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 |
$3,450Lowest 32% below VT |
$3,977Highest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
23.2%±12.4 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Poultney 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% |
11.4% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5% VT: 73.2% |
56.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #41 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.