Compare towns
Rochester vs Putney vs Windsor
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).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
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 | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Lowest |
2,622Highest |
2,060 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
| Rochester and Windsor 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% |
21.1%±8.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor 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% |
29.2%±8 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
40%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
| Putney 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±$81k 20% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
| Putney and Rochester 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,002±$107Highest 19% below VT |
| Windsor 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 |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest 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% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
51.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Putney 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 | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| 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.