Compare towns
Rochester vs Walpole vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Westminster has the most homeowners (88.2%).
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 | Walpole | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Lowest |
3,690Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Lowest 20% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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 10% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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 24% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | 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 |
U.S. 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.