Compare towns
Appleton vs Berwick 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
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
Rochester has the most renters (34% 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 | Appleton | Berwick | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
8,175 |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43±1.8 11% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rochester and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$94,771±$24kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3k about the U.S. average |
| Berwick and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,369±$72 3% below U.S. |
| Berwick and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Rochester 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 | — | #101 of 133 in ME | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.2 |
| 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.