Compare towns
Pittsfield vs White River Junction 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).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | White River Junction | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 391Lowest |
3,364Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.8±3.5Highest 25% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below 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% |
17.1%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| White River Junction 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest 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% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Pittsfield and White River Junction 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 |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| White River Junction 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 |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Pittsfield and White River Junction 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 |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| White River Junction 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 |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.6%±43Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and White River Junction 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% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.2% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1963Lowest 13 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 18% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.1%±24.1 VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Lowest 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.