Compare towns
Rockingham vs Chester vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockingham has the most renters (38.3% rent).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.7%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Rockingham | Chester | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,807Highest |
2,992Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±2.6Lowest 8% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Rockingham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
| Westminster and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
| Westminster and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,062±$101Highest 14% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Rockingham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,887Highest 3% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 16% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Rockingham 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 | #65 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rockingham School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.