Compare towns
Westminster vs Rochester vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most expensive homes ($314k median).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Halifax has the youngest population (median age 40.6).
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 | Rochester | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
1,389Highest |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
$929±$158Highest 25% below VT |
$875±$154 29% below VT |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 11% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,991Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1968Highest 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
33 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Halifax 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 | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.