Compare towns
Westminster vs Northfield 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 most people working from home (27%).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
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 | Northfield | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Lowest |
5,920Highest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$71,768±$13kHighest 12% below VT |
$70,857±$16kLowest 13% below VT |
| Northfield 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 14% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT |
| Northfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$1,062±$101Highest 14% below VT |
| Rockingham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$4,887Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
10.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.