Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Ludlow 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).
Ludlow has the most renters (48.6% rent).
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 | Ludlow | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 391Lowest |
808 |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.8±3.5Highest 25% above VT |
48.7±5.6Lowest 13% 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%±8.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Pittsfield and Ludlow 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% |
30.4%±0.5Lowest 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%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Pittsfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,852±$12k 19% below VT |
$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rochester and Pittsfield 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 |
$304,000±$32k 4% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Pittsfield and Ludlow 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 |
$1,018±$91 18% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Pittsfield and Ludlow 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 |
$4,237 16% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.6%±43 VT: 48.4% |
33%±13.8Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.2% VT: 73.2% |
51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 18% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.1%±24.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±6.4Lowest 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 | — | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.