Compare towns
Westminster vs Arkwright 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 the shortest commute (24 min average).
Arkwright has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Arkwright | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
859Lowest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2Lowest 31% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% 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 | 18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest 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+ | 46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$93,000±$26kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Arkwright and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$170,900±$30kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$875±$689Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$929±$158Highest 34% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Highest 30% above U.S. |
$3,760Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±65.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — |
| 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.