Compare towns
Westminster vs Dummerston vs Rochester vs Rockingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
Dummerston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Dummerston | Rochester | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
2,090 |
1,389Lowest |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston 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 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
| 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 12% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$70,857±$16kLowest 13% below VT |
| Dummerston and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 19% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,887Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
21 min 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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 |
VT 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.