Compare towns
Hancock vs Salisbury 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).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Salisbury | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
1,200 |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Salisbury 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% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Salisbury 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% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Hancock and Salisbury 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 |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Salisbury and Rochester 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 |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.