Compare towns
Rochester vs Gray vs Chittenden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Gray | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
8,429Highest |
1,318Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
50.8±6.3 31% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$106,250±$28kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Chittenden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$346,800±$35k 4% above U.S. |
| Gray and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$488 20% below U.S. |
| Gray and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 28% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,346Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.8%±55.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Chittenden 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.