Compare towns
Rochester vs Charleston vs Fairlee
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%).
Charleston has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Charleston | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Highest |
936Lowest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.2% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Lowest 24% above VT |
58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
| Charleston and Fairlee 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% |
11.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairlee and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.3 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$49,286±$17kLowest 39% below VT |
$74,760±$10kHighest 8% below VT |
| Fairlee and Rochester 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 |
$238,000±$53kLowest 25% below VT |
$274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$979±$444 21% below VT |
$1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
| Fairlee and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 21% below VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±26.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Rochester 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% |
12.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Charleston 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 | Charleston School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.