Rochester: nestled among Vermont’s mountains
A glance north or south down Rochester’s central street reveals distant mountain peaks rising over Italianate buildings and cottage homes. Rugged landscapes and conserved forests lie just beyond the Vermont community’s compact town center. “We’re located in the heart of the mountains, smack dab in the middle of the state,” says Julie Smith, Rochester’s town clerk. These mountains often bring people to the area, whether they’re vacationers or seasonal residents buying second homes. Others, including Smith, enjoy living in the small community because of its friendly, familiar atmosphere. Residents may live isolated on several wooded acres, but they come together for gatherings such as summer concerts and the annual Harvest Fair.
Small historic homes in the heart of Rochester, cabins on the outskirts
Colonial Revival homes and cottages from the early 1900s are clustered together in the heart of Rochester, where houses on narrow lots are within walking distance of shops and cafes. Less than a mile from the center of town, the landscape shifts to open fields with farmhouses and ranch homes. Farther out, A-frame cabins and contemporary houses perch on hillsides, surrounded by acres of woodlands. Prices for turnkey homes usually vary from $275,000 to $460,000, and houses with more than 3 acres cost between $560,000 and $630,000.
Recreation scene includes trails through mountains and towns
The west side of Rochester borders Green Mountain National Forest, which has 400,000 acres of peaks, ridges and valleys covered in maples, birches and hemlocks. Hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders set out on the forest’s dozens of trails. Plus, backcountry skiing is growing in popularity on the trails and mountains, Smith says. Some homes on the east end of Rochester back up to the thick forests of Mount Cushman State Park, but the 16-acre recreation area is difficult to enter due to a lack of public road access. Local volunteers and nonprofit groups opened the Heart of the Greens trail in 2024, creating a nearly 40-mile loop connecting the center of Rochester to Pittsfield, a town to the south. There are plans to expand the trail into a 485-mile network that runs through Massachusetts to the Canadian border.
Not all of Rochester’s activities are outdoors. The White River Valley Players have performed musicals, comedies and other stage shows in the community since 1979. The community theater also puts on children’s camps and workshops.
School choice available for middle and high school
Children in kindergarten through sixth grade can attend Rochester Elementary School, which gets a C grade from Niche. Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District doesn’t teach middle or high school, so families in Rochester get to pick from several public middle and high schools for their kids to attend. For example, students could go to Middlebury Union Middle School, which scores a B-minus, and B-plus-rated Middlebury Union High School. Middlebury Union High introduced the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in 2021.
Longstanding businesses line the center of Rochester
The middle of the community is the place to go shopping or grab a bite to eat, and anyone passing through won’t see digital signs, self-checkout lanes or new construction. In fact, some of the white clapboard buildings house the same types of businesses they did more than 80 years ago. “It’s an older feel of a town, not upgraded to newer systems,” Smith says. “We’re still back in the day.” For example, Rochester Cafe & Country Store has been a community gathering place since a soda fountain opened in the building in 1941. The business has since shifted to a breakfast and lunch spot, opening for dinner twice a week. An attached country store sells a curated selection of locally made products, including jewelry, soap and, of course, Vermont maple syrup. The Hardware at Rochester has been in business since the 1880s. Next door, rows of flowers lead to a house shared by Sugar Mama’s bakery and The Bookery, a shop with both vintage books and newer titles. Village Grocery & Liquor fulfills day-to-day shopping needs, and Rochester Health Center’s staff provides primary care.
Rochester Park hosts concerts, markets and more
Rochester Park, a green tree-lined square in the heart of the community, holds recurring events, such as Rochester’s Farmer’s Market & Exchange on Fridays from May to October, along with free Sunday evening concerts in July and August. In September, people gather in Rochester Park for the annual Harvest Fair, a day of music, craft making and barbecuing.
A rural community built along Route 100
Highways and winding back roads take people through the spread-out community. Vermont Route 100 cuts through the center of the village of Rochester, running north and south through nearly the entire state. The nearest hospital, Gifford Medical Center, is a 15-mile drive away. It’s 65 miles to Burlington, Vermont’s biggest city. Local industries include book publishing and LED manufacturing, but many people work from home.
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
