Compare towns
Rochester vs Westminster vs Windham
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%).
Westminster has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Lowest |
2,999 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% 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% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Windham 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. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Windham 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.