Compare towns
Concord vs Laconia 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 most renters (43.2% rent).
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Laconia | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
17,085Lowest |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
45.3±3.9Highest 5% above NH |
43±1.8 about the NH average |
| Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±1.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.6%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.2% NH: 40.6% |
27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
| Concord and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5kHighest 14% below NH |
$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH |
$80,836±$3k 18% below NH |
| Concord and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kHighest 13% below NH |
$340,300±$16k 15% below NH |
$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
| Concord and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Highest 3% below NH |
$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,369±$72 8% below NH |
| Concord and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227Highest 8% above NH |
$4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
$5,334 20% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±7 NH: 48.2% |
| Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% NH: 7.2% |
12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.2% NH: 72.8% |
66%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Concord and Laconia 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #105 of 120 in NH | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Laconia School District | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Laconia High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
10.0Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.