Compare towns
Berwick vs Northfield 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%).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
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 | Northfield | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175 |
5,920Lowest |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below 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% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest 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% |
20%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Northfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 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. |
$274,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% 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. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northfield 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Northfield 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.