Compare towns
Dover vs Gorham vs Wardsboro 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
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Dover | Gorham | Wardsboro | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
18,300Highest |
820Lowest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.6±7.3 33% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$62,000±$6k 23% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$299,300±$47k 10% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,479±$224 5% above U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,345 39% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Gorham Public Schools | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.