Compare towns
Westminster vs Derry vs Epping 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Derry | Epping | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
34,116Highest |
7,430 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Derry and Epping 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% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 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% |
37.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Derry and Epping 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 11% below U.S. |
$108,944±$7kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Derry and Epping 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. |
$432,000±$17k 30% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Epping and Derry 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. |
$1,547±$138 9% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Epping and Derry 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. |
$8,103Highest 160% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Rochester 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Epping School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Pinkerton Academy | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
13.9Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.