Compare towns
Berwick vs Dover vs Standish 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 (22.7% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Dover | Standish | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,175Lowest |
33,364Highest |
10,662 |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.5±2.8 4% above U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Berwick 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% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest 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%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Berwick 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% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Standish and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19k 11% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430 about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,369±$72 3% below U.S. |
| Dover and Berwick 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$5,334 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #18 of 133 in ME | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Dover School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
12.5Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.