Compare towns
Pawlet vs Rochester vs Whitingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawlet has the most kids (20.3% under 18).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).
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 | Pawlet | Rochester | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,480Highest |
1,389 |
1,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±7.5 11% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
46.4±7.1Lowest 8% above VT |
| Rochester and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Pawlet and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Pawlet and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,273±$14kLowest 23% below VT |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
| Rochester and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,200±$44kHighest 16% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
| Pawlet and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$215Highest 7% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
| Pawlet and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,924Lowest 22% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±21.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
85.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 40% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.3 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mettawee School District #84 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
| 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.