Compare towns
Rochester vs Springfield vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Westminster has the shortest commute (24 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 | Rochester | Springfield | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Lowest |
9,084Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| 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+ | 49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$963±$100Highest 22% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Springfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Springfield High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.