Compare towns
Rochester vs Westminster vs Middlesex
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Middlesex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Lowest |
2,999Highest |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% 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% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest 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% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex 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 |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
| Middlesex 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 |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Middlesex 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 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| 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.