Compare towns
Rochester vs Sutton vs Waterville
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%).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 46.6).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Sutton | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Highest |
790 |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
46.6±5.7Lowest 8% above VT |
49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
| Rochester and Waterville 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% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Sutton 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 |
$71,250±$18kLowest 12% below VT |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
| Rochester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
$231,100±$41kLowest 27% below VT |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
| Rochester and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
— | $1,110±$93Highest 10% below VT |
| Waterville and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977Highest 21% below VT |
$3,975 21% below VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Waterville 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% |
12.4% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Sutton 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.