Compare towns
Westminster vs Windsor vs Walpole 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 homeowners (88.2%).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Walpole has the most expensive homes ($320k median).
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 | Windsor | Walpole | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
3,554 |
3,690Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% 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%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Windsor 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% |
29.7%±6.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Windsor 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% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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 11% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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 18% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 30% above U.S. |
$5,209 67% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Walpole 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% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — | 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 |
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.