Compare towns
Rochester vs Cornish vs Dover vs Braintree
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 people working from home (40.8%).
Cornish has the most kids (14.4% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Cornish | Dover | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,389 |
1,816Highest |
1,466 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Lowest 37% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornish and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$332,900±$55kHighest about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Dover and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$840±$405 41% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 28% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,510 45% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Cornish School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.