Compare towns
Rochester vs Putney vs Calais
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%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Putney | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Lowest |
2,622Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
| Rochester and Calais 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% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
| Calais and Putney 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 |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais 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 |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Putney 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Calais 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None 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.