What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).

Deerfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rochester	Deerfield
People
Population	5,837Highest	5,158Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.5±6Lowest 16% above MA	51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA
	Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%	13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Rochester and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	44.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA	$106,136±$14kLowest about the MA average
	Rochester and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA	$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,432±$743Highest 19% below MA	$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA
	Rochester and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,530Highest 9% above MA	$5,824Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.1%±10.2Highest MA: 51.8%	26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Rochester and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%	7.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	78.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 25% above MA	18 minLowest 40% below MA
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#104 of 282 in MA	#156 of 282 in MA
School district	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester	Deerfield · Frontier
High school in town	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical	Frontier Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	9.1Lowest	11.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA 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.