Compare towns
Westminster vs Sandgate 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 expensive homes ($274k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Sandgate | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999 |
435Lowest |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
46.4±2.6Lowest 8% above VT |
| Sandgate and Westminster 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% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest 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% |
26%±11.3Lowest 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% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest 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±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
| Westminster and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
— | $1,062±$101Highest 14% below VT |
| Rockingham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 19% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,887Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
| 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1959 17 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%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — |
| 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.