Compare towns
Westminster vs Epping vs Rochester vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Rochester has the most expensive homes ($599k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Westminster | Epping | Rochester | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,374 |
7,430 |
5,837Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
46.5±6 20% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% 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 | 21.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,331±$22k 32% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$120,273±$12kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,000±$36k 27% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,973 59% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±27.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #112 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #104 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Epping School District | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Gardner |
| High school in town | Oakmont Regional High School | Epping High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
9.3 |
9.1Lowest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.