Compare towns
Westminster vs Brighton 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% 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 | Brighton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
1,167Lowest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.2±11.6Lowest 5% 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%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brighton 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% |
27.2%±4.6Lowest 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% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brighton 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 |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% 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 |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% 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±$126 26% below VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$929±$158Highest 25% below VT |
| 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 19% below VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55%±17 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Brighton 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% |
22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
18.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Brighton School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — |
| 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.