Compare towns
Westminster vs Exeter 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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Exeter | Putney | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
16,151Highest |
2,622 |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below 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%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 30% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Exeter 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%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than 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. |
25 min 6% 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% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 6 photos → | 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.