Compare towns
Rochester vs Williamstown vs Pittsfield
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%).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Pittsfield has the most expensive homes ($313k 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 | Williamstown | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
3,579Highest |
391Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
42±5Lowest about the VT average |
53.8±3.5Highest 25% above VT |
| Pittsfield and Rochester 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% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±8.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown and Pittsfield 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% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield 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% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Williamstown and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT |
$65,852±$12kLowest 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$234,900±$24kLowest 26% below VT |
$313,300±$73kHighest about the VT average |
| Pittsfield and Rochester 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 |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
$1,035±$140 16% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 21% below VT |
$3,841Lowest 24% below VT |
$5,181Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
35.6%±43Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Rochester 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
23 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.1%±24.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Pittsfield 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 | — | #47 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.