Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Rochester vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the highest household income ($99k).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
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 | Brookfield | Castleton | Rochester | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453Highest |
1,389Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Castleton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.