Compare towns
Ashland 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
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
Rochester has the oldest population (median age 43).
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 | Ashland | Berwick | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
8,175 |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rochester and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% 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 | $227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 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 | $4,961 59% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest 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 | Ashland School District | 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 Our Story | 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.