Compare towns
Cornish vs Putney vs Rochester vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Westminster has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
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 | Cornish | Putney | Rochester | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
2,622 |
1,389Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Putney and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Westminster 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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 History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.