Compare towns
Rochester vs Franklin 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).
Franklin has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Franklin | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144Highest |
1,628Lowest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±1.8 11% above U.S. |
46±9.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Franklin and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest 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+ | 19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rochester and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,836±$3k about the U.S. average |
$65,455±$16kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$94,771±$24kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Berwick and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
$245,800±$59kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72 3% below U.S. |
$888±$306Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,452±$430Highest 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. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
$2,231Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.7%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 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 |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Franklin 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 | — | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rochester School District | — | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | — | 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.