What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has the most expensive homes ($599k median).

Wolcott has the most affordable homes ($326k median).

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	Wolcott
People
Population	5,837Lowest	16,279Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	46.5±6Highest 20% above U.S.	44.4±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S.
	Rochester and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Rochester and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Rochester and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wolcott 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 49% above U.S.	$110,850±$10kLowest 37% above U.S.
	Rochester and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S.	$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,432±$743Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,464±$913Highest 4% above U.S.
	Wolcott and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,530Highest 109% above U.S.	$5,799Lowest 86% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.8%±24.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wolcott and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 38% above U.S.	30 minLowest 13% above U.S.
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	11.2%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wolcott 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	#76 of 149 in CT
School district	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester	Wolcott School District
High school in town	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical	Wolcott High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.1Lowest	10.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.