Compare towns
Rochester vs Wallingford vs Chittenden
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%).
Wallingford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Chittenden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Wallingford | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
2,286Highest |
1,318Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
45.9±10.8Lowest 6% above VT |
50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
| Rochester and Chittenden 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% |
18.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.8%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Wallingford and Chittenden 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% |
23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
51.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1 VT: 7% |
3.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Chittenden and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$80,230±$15k about the VT average |
$106,250±$28kHighest 31% above VT |
| Chittenden and Wallingford 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 |
$261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
$346,800±$35kHighest 10% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
$1,125±$488Highest 9% below VT |
| Chittenden 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 |
$4,355 14% below VT |
$5,346Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
14.8%±55.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Chittenden 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% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
82.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Chittenden 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 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| 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.