Compare towns
Braintree vs Lee 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
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Lee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Braintree | Lee | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
4,576Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Lowest 10% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 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+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Lee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$480,600±$61kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
— | $929±$158Highest 34% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest 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 | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Lee 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 | — | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Oyster River Coop School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.