Compare towns
Rochester vs Castleton vs Jericho vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Jericho has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Hancock has the most renters (40.5% rent).
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 | Rochester | Castleton | Jericho | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,389 |
4,453 |
5,114Highest |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
49.7±5.1 15% above VT |
33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
| Rochester and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Jericho and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.2%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
65.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$116,923±$16kHighest 44% above VT |
$76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
| Jericho and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$493,100±$38kHighest 56% above VT |
$187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,731±$111Highest 40% above VT |
$939±$19 24% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 21% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$7,318Highest 45% above VT |
$3,511 30% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
79.3%±52.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Jericho and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
0.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.8%±6.4 VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Jericho 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #6 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.