Compare towns
Westminster vs Castleton vs Putney 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 homeowners (88.2%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Putney has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.1%).
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 | Putney | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
4,453Highest |
2,622 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below 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% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Putney and Castleton 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 12% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Putney 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 |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster 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 |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Castleton 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 min 17% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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.