Compare towns
Troy vs Rochester vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | Troy | Rochester | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,749Highest |
1,389 |
471Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.5±5.7Lowest 3% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
| Rochester and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Troy and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Troy and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Troy and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $233,200±$21kLowest 26% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| Rochester and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
$929±$158Highest 25% below VT |
— |
| Rochester and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,644 28% below VT |
$3,977Highest 21% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±26.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 17% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Troy School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary 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 |
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.