Compare towns
Westminster vs Dalton 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%).
Dalton has the highest household income ($79k).
Rockingham has the most affordable homes ($211k median).
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 | Dalton | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Lowest |
6,256Highest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
49.7±5.8 28% above U.S. |
46.4±2.6Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Dalton 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% |
20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockingham and Dalton 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest 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. |
$79,438±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$70,857±$16kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Dalton and Westminster 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. |
$295,700±$26kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$210,900±$14kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Dalton and Westminster 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. |
$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,062±$101Highest 25% below U.S. |
| Rockingham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$4,276 37% above U.S. |
$4,887Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±19Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Rockingham 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% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Central Berkshire | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Wahconah Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
10.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.