Compare towns
Rochester vs Williston 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%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
10,144Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Braintree 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Williston and Braintree 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 |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 21% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Williston 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%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None 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.