Compare towns
Rochester vs Goshen vs Chittenden
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%).
Goshen has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Chittenden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Goshen | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Highest |
142Lowest |
1,318 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -1.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
58.9±8.3Highest 37% above VT |
50.8±6.3Lowest 18% above VT |
| Goshen and Rochester 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% |
10.6%±11.6 VT: 17.9% |
13.8%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Chittenden and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
37.3%±11.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Goshen and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% VT: 43.8% |
42.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
51.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6 VT: 7% |
0%±10Lowest VT: 7% |
3.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$56,250±$33kLowest 31% below VT |
$106,250±$28kHighest 31% above VT |
| Chittenden 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±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$330,000±$115k 4% above VT |
$346,800±$35kHighest 10% above VT |
| Chittenden and Goshen 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 |
— | $1,125±$488Highest 9% below VT |
| Chittenden and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,240 4% above VT |
$5,346Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
— | 14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Chittenden 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% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Chittenden 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 | — | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| High school 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.