Compare towns
Rochester vs Montgomery vs Plainfield
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%).
Montgomery has the most expensive homes ($323k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Montgomery | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Highest |
1,047Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
| Rochester and Montgomery 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% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Montgomery 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% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery 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% |
52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Rochester and Plainfield 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 |
$323,200±$45kHighest about the VT average |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield 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 |
$4,326 14% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield 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% |
15.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Plainfield 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.