Compare towns
Westminster vs Cornish vs Rochester 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
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Cornish | Rochester | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
1,816 |
1,389Lowest |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
46.4±2.6Lowest 19% 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%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Rockingham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Rockingham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest 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% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rockingham 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 11% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
$70,857±$16kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$210,900±$14kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Cornish 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. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,062±$101 25% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Rockingham 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. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,887 57% 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% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Westminster 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% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.1 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 | — | — | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Cornish School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | 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 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.