Compare towns

Rochester vs New Gloucester 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 affordable homes ($279k median).
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
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.

MeasureRochesterNew GloucesterBerwick
People
Population
33,144Highest
5,766Lowest
8,175
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43±1.8Highest
11% above U.S.
40.1±5.5Lowest
3% above U.S.
40.7±2.9
5% 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
18.2%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
24.2%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
22.7%±4.4
U.S.: 22%
New Gloucester and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.4%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.2%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Rochester and Berwick 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%
30.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
35%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.3%±1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
Rochester and Berwick 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
$108,797±$12kHighest
35% above U.S.
$94,771±$24k
17% above U.S.
New Gloucester 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.
$357,100±$29k
7% above U.S.
$369,100±$19kHighest
11% above U.S.
Berwick and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,369±$72
3% below U.S.
$1,150±$249Lowest
19% 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.
$3,417Lowest
10% above U.S.
$4,436
42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.3%±7
U.S.: 51.1%
24.7%±12Lowest
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%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
66%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
87.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1978Lowest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1991Highest
11 yrs newer than U.S.
1989
9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
27 min
about the U.S. average
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
Work from home
11.8%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.2%±6.5
U.S.: 15.1%
20.2%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Berwick and New Gloucester 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 #65 of 133 in ME #101 of 133 in ME
School district Rochester School District RSU 15/MSAD 15 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
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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.