Compare towns
Berwick vs Gray 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%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Gray | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175Lowest |
8,429 |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
43±1.8 11% above U.S. |
| Gray 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Gray 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% |
44.8%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% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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±$24k 17% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Berwick 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. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,369±$72Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Berwick and Gray 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
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.