Compare towns
Berwick vs Exeter 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
Berwick has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
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 | Berwick | Exeter | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,998Lowest |
16,151 |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43±1.8 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest 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+ | 16.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k about the U.S. average |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,369±$72 3% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Lowest 22% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,334 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Berwick 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.