Compare towns
Rochester vs Weston vs Braintree
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%).
Weston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Weston | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Highest |
685Lowest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Lowest 24% above VT |
60.5±7Highest 40% above VT |
58.4±2.4 35% above VT |
| Weston and Braintree 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% |
15.2%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Weston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
44.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Braintree and Weston 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 |
$115,000±$20kHighest 42% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$537,700±$77kHighest 70% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$1,375±$729Highest 11% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Weston and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 21% below VT |
$7,076Highest 40% above VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
91.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
31.2%±7.8 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Weston 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 | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school 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.