Compare towns
Westminster vs Bennington vs Rochester
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 ($274k median).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
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 | Bennington | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999 |
15,249Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Bennington and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 19% below VT |
$4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.