Compare towns
Rochester vs Barnstead vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most renters (34% rent).
Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | Rochester | Barnstead | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144Highest |
4,994Lowest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1 10% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnstead and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
$111,660±$12kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$362,400±$25k 9% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Berwick and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72Lowest 3% below U.S. |
$1,395±$75 about the U.S. average |
$1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
| Berwick and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,334 71% above U.S. |
$6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Barnstead 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 | #98 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rochester School District | Barnstead School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2 |
— | — |
| 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.