Compare towns
Berwick vs Castleton vs Ira 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%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Berwick | Castleton | Ira | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,175 |
4,453 |
381Lowest |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
43±1.8 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% 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. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% 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 | $4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton 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% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 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 27% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | 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 | 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.