Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Fairlee 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Fairlee | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 391Lowest |
1,066 |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.8±3.5 25% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
53.3±7.6Lowest 24% above VT |
| Fairlee and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±8.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Pittsfield and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±7.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.5 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee 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 |
$74,760±$10kHighest 8% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Fairlee 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 |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Pittsfield and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$140 16% below VT |
$1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Fairlee and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,181 about the VT average |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.6%±43Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 18% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.1%±24.1 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest 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 | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school 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.