Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Cavendish vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most expensive homes ($313k median).
Cavendish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.8%).
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 | Pittsfield | Cavendish | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 391Lowest |
1,242 |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.8±3.5Highest 25% above VT |
45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| Pittsfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±8.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.5 VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cavendish and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,852±$12kLowest 19% below VT |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Cavendish and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,300±$73kHighest about the VT average |
$285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Pittsfield and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$140Highest 16% below VT |
$1,000±$546 19% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Pittsfield and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,181Highest about the VT average |
$3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.6%±43 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 18% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.1%±24.1 VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.