Compare towns
Whitingham vs Rochester vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitingham has the most renters (14.8% rent).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Whitingham | Rochester | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,368 |
1,389Highest |
847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
| Rochester and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Halifax and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.1%±2.3 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.6%±7.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Whitingham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
| Rochester and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$267,500±$21kHighest 16% below VT |
| Halifax and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$929±$158Highest 25% below VT |
$875±$154 29% below VT |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,055Highest about the VT average |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,991 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 62% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
33 min 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8 |
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| 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.