Compare towns
Derry vs Hanover 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
Derry has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Derry | Hanover | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 34,116Highest |
11,685Lowest |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6 7% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
43±1.8Highest about the NH average |
| Rochester and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±2.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±1.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Derry and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.6%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138 4% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103 22% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
66%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #60 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | Hanover High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
13.2 |
| 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.