Compare towns
Dover vs Westminster vs Windham 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 the shortest commute (22 min average).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Westminster | Windham | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
497Lowest |
594 |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | — | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
43.3±11.5Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Windham 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% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 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% |
45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Dover and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$81,000±$22k about the VT average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Windham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Windham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$749±$315 39% 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 |
$4,480 11% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Dover 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.