Compare towns
Halifax 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
Halifax has the youngest population (median age 40.6).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Westminster has the most expensive homes ($314k median).
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 | Halifax | Rochester | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 847 |
1,389Highest |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$154 29% below VT |
$929±$158Highest 25% below VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991Highest about the VT average |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,480 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 8 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 38% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Halifax 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 | Halifax School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.