Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Fairlee 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
Bethlehem has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Bethlehem | Fairlee | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537Highest |
1,066Lowest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5Lowest 30% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,300±$22kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418 74% above U.S. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Bethlehem 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
— | — |
| 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.