Compare towns
Westminster vs Standish 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).
Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Standish | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999 |
10,662Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% 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%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Standish 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%±2.3Lowest 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% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$336,000±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$983±$453Highest 30% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Standish and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Highest 30% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Standish 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% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.