Compare towns
Rochester vs Standish 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).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Standish | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144Highest |
10,662 |
8,175Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% 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%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest 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%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest 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% |
36%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
| Standish 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. |
$336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
$369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Berwick and Standish 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. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% 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. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Berwick 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rochester School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2Highest |
12.5Lowest |
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| 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.