Compare towns
Rochester vs Windham vs Braintree vs Fairlee
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%).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Windham | Braintree | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,389Highest |
594Lowest |
1,026 |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
| Braintree and Fairlee 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Braintree 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee 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 |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Windham and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
— | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
| Fairlee 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Windham 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| 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 | 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.