Compare towns
Hancock vs Ripton vs Northfield 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 affordable homes ($188k median).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Northfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
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 | Ripton | Northfield | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
508 |
5,920Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
36.4±4.1 16% below VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Northfield 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% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest 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% VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ripton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19 24% below VT |
— | $1,018±$207Highest 18% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Northfield 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 |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Ripton 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 | — | — | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.