Compare towns
Westminster vs Sutton vs Rochester
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%).
Sutton has the most people working from home (14.8%).
Rochester has the most expensive homes ($599k median).
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 | Sutton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,374Highest |
2,239Lowest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
46.5±6Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Sutton 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,331±$22kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$120,273±$12k 49% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Rochester 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. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,432±$743Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Westminster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,973Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Rochester 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | #112 of 282 in MA | — | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Kearsarge Regional School District | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | Oakmont Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
10.4 |
9.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.