Compare towns
Westminster vs Castleton vs Walpole vs Rockingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Rockingham has the most renters (38.3% rent).
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 | Walpole | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999Lowest |
4,453 |
3,690 |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
46.4±2.6 19% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$70,857±$16kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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 18% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$210,900±$14kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,062±$101 25% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 30% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,887 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Rockingham School District |
| 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.