Compare towns
Rochester vs Sidney vs Mapleton
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).
Sidney has the most people working from home (14.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Sidney | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144Highest |
4,790 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Sidney 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% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Sidney 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. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72Highest 3% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Sidney 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. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sidney and Rochester 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rochester School District | RSU 18 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| 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.