Compare towns
Berwick vs Bennington 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%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Bennington | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175Lowest |
15,249 |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
43±1.8 11% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Rochester 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% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest 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% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Rochester 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. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% 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. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,133±$63Lowest 20% 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. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Berwick 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% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Bennington 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
13.2Lowest |
| 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.