Compare towns
Rockland vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockland has the most people working from home (22.1%).
Manchester has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Rockland | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,035Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
| Rockland and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Manchester and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
$299,600±$40kHighest about the ME average |
| Manchester and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Rockland and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,059Highest 34% above ME |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 50% below ME |
20 minHighest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and Manchester 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 | #96 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Oceanside High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.