Compare towns
Rochester vs Underhill 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%).
Underhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Underhill | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Lowest |
3,141Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
38.1±11.4Lowest 12% below 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% |
27.8%±10.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Underhill 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% |
17.6%±6Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
50.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±2 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Underhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$92,267±$54kHighest 14% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Underhill and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$446,000±$24kHighest 41% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| 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 | $3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$6,697Highest 33% above VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
79.8%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 |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3Lowest 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 | — | #2 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | 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 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.