Compare towns
Marlboro vs Rochester vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marlboro has the youngest population (median age 22.7).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Dover has the most renters (18.9% rent).
Marlboro is a college town. 42.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Marlboro | Rochester | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,362Lowest |
1,389 |
1,466Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +59.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 22.7±2.1Lowest 47% below VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Marlboro and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 42.7%±4.8Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,135±$10kHighest 5% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
| Marlboro and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,300±$55kHighest 13% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
| Marlboro and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,600±$824Highest 30% above VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
| Marlboro and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,640Highest 12% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±43.6 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Marlboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 26% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 26%±11.2 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Marlboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Marlboro School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None 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.