Compare towns
Berwick vs Barre 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 people working from home (20.2%).
Barre has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Berwick | Barre | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175Lowest |
8,412 |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest 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+ | 17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest 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 | $94,771±$24kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below 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 | $369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$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 | $4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest 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 | 4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| 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.