Compare towns
Rochester vs Middlebury 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%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
9,175Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
| Fairlee 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% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairlee and Middlebury 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% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Middlebury and Fairlee 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 |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Middlebury and Fairlee 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 |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest 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% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.