Compare towns
Sidney vs Winthrop vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Rochester has the most renters (34% rent).
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 | Sidney | Winthrop | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
6,191 |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.6±5.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43±1.8Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Winthrop and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winthrop and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rochester and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$86,470±$4kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Winthrop and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$294,800±$41k 11% below U.S. |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$892±$319Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,369±$72Highest 3% 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 | $2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$3,506 12% above U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.8%±22.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Winthrop and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Winthrop and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 18 | Winthrop Public Schools | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Winthrop High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| 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.