Compare towns
Westminster vs Cornish vs Putney vs Rochester
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 kids (18.2% under 18).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Cornish | Putney | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
1,816 |
2,622 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Putney 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% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Putney 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. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Putney and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Rochester 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. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Cornish School District | 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 |
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.