Compare towns
Rochester vs Sutton 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%).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 46.6).
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 | Sutton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
790Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
46.6±5.7Lowest 8% above VT |
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% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±2.7Lowest 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% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Sutton 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 |
$71,250±$18kLowest 12% 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 |
$231,100±$41kLowest 27% 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±$158Highest 25% below VT |
— | $916±$126Lowest 26% 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 | $3,977 21% below VT |
$3,975Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,063Highest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Westminster 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% |
12.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
85%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.