Compare towns
Rochester vs Westminster vs Wilder
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 (18.2% under 18).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Lowest |
2,999 |
3,087Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.5±8.9Lowest 6% 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%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Wilder 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% |
27.3%±4.4Lowest 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% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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 |
$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wilder 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 |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
| Westminster and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
| Wilder 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 |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest 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 | 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.