What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has the most affordable homes ($300k median).

Rockport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Manchester	Rockport
People
Population	2,424Lowest	3,675Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+9.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME	48.7±3.7Highest 9% above ME
	Rockport and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	20.9%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1%
	Rockport and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	24.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Rockport and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	51.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%	5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Rockport and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME	$86,979±$16kLowest 16% above ME
	Manchester and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average	$469,000±$50kHighest 58% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME	$1,194±$667Highest 5% above ME
	Rockport and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,486Lowest 15% above ME	$5,764Highest 90% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	53.4%±42.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	Rockport and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest same as ME	1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 19% below ME	11 minLowest 54% below ME
Work from home	11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	17.1%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Rockport and Manchester 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	—	#8 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 38	Five Town CSD · RSU 28/MSAD 28
High school in town	None in town	Camden Hills Regional H S
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.