The Town FilesRochester, Vermont
Town in Windsor County · population 1,099 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $253,600
- Household income
- $72,676
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 76 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 53.3
Rochester is a town of 1,099 people in Windsor County, Vermont. The median home is worth $253,600, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks quieter than 98% of Vermont towns, better for first-time buyers than 93% of Vermont towns, hipper than 93% of Vermont towns.
How Rochester ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rochester is worth $253,600, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $72,676, which is more affordable than 59% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $929 a month. 86.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rochester | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $253,600 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $929 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $72,676 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 86.1% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 20.1% | — |
Who lives in Rochester
| People | Rochester | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.3 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 10.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.0% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.5% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 12.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 40.8% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.8% | 89.3% |
Weather in Rochester
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 8.7°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.5 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Rochester since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 18, 2013.
Severe weather in Windsor County since 1996
Windsor County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| March 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3567: Tropical Storm Henri |
Jobs and pay in Windsor County
Windsor County had 23,153 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,855 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Rochester itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Rochester
1 public school with 89 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester School | PK-6 | 89 | 12.7 |
Towns near Rochester
- Pittsfield, VT5.2 mi · 504 people · home $313,300
- Bethel, VT7.0 mi · 1,942 people · home $238,000
- Chittenden, VT7.7 mi · 1,237 people · home $346,800
- Braintree, VT8.6 mi · 1,207 people · home $217,700
- Randolph, VT8.8 mi · 2,083 people · home $235,400
- Stockbridge, VT9.6 mi · 718 people · home $283,500
- Bethel, VT10.4 mi · 670 people · home $274,100
- Ripton, VT11.0 mi · 739 people · home $394,400
Rochester questions
Is Rochester, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rochester scores better for retirees than 68% of Vermont towns and quieter than 98%. 31.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.3).
How much does a house cost in Rochester?
The median owner-occupied home in Rochester is valued at $253,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,676, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $929 a month.
What is the weather like in Rochester?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 8.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 75.5 inches of snow.
Does Rochester get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Rochester in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)