Compare towns
Dover vs Putney vs Westminster vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Westminster has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Dover | Putney | Westminster | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
2,622 |
2,999Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Putney and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Dover and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49 46% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$929±$158Highest 25% below VT |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 10% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| 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.