Compare towns
Westminster vs Castleton vs Brookfield 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 oldest population (median age 53.5).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($99k).
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 | Castleton | Brookfield | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
4,453Highest |
1,486 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47±5.9 9% 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% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Brookfield 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Castleton and Brookfield 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Brookfield 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | 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 | 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.