Compare towns
Rochester vs Westminster 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%).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
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 | Westminster | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
497Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
43.3±11.5Lowest 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% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest 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% |
45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Westminster 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 |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Westminster 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 |
$313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Westminster and Westminster 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 |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
$916±$126 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 |
$4,480Highest 11% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest 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% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older 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% |
23.1%±15.9Lowest 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 | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school 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.