Compare towns
Westminster vs Bennington vs Rockingham
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 people working from home (27%).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Rockingham has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
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 | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Lowest |
15,249Highest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham and Westminster 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% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Rockingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
| Westminster and Rockingham 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±$15k 33% below VT |
$210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
| Bennington and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,887Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Westminster 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% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
61.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Rockingham 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 | #65 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 | Rockingham School District |
| 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 |
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| 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.