Compare towns
Concord vs Dover vs Rye vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k 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 | Concord | Dover | Rye | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
33,364 |
5,611Lowest |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
43±1.8 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.6%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$140,655±$39kHighest 42% above NH |
$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH |
| Rye and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,781±$156Highest 19% above NH |
$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH |
| Rye and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 8% above NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$7,519 13% above NH |
$5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±7 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
6.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
66% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1972 7 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
29 minHighest 8% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #2 of 120 in NH | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Dover School District | Rye School District | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
12.7Lowest |
— | 13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.