What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.7%).

Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Northfield	Rockingham
People
Population	5,920Highest	4,807Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT	46.4±2.6Highest 8% above VT
Kids under 18	14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9%
	Rockingham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4%	29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	6.1%±2.9Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,768±$13kHighest 12% below VT	$70,857±$16kLowest 13% below VT
	Northfield and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT	$210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT	$1,062±$101Highest 14% below VT
	Rockingham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,878Lowest 3% below VT	$4,887Highest 3% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4%	46.7%±13.7Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Northfield and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	16.7%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.5%Highest VT: 73.2%	61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 20 yrs older than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 16% above VT	20 minLowest 16% below VT
Work from home	12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Rockingham and Northfield 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	#65 of 70 in VT
School district	Paine Mountain Union School District #68	Rockingham School District
High school in town	Northfield Middle/High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.