Compare towns
Dummerston vs Rochester vs Westminster vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Dummerston | Rochester | Westminster | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
1,389 |
497Lowest |
2,622Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Rochester and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$81,000±$22k about the VT average |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
| Dummerston and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
$749±$315 39% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,480 11% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 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 | 4.5% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Dummerston 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 | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.