Compare towns
Dover vs Hampton Beach vs Hampton 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
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Hampton Beach has the most renters (37.1% rent).
Hampton has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Dover | Hampton Beach | Hampton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
2,605 |
16,426Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1 43% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hampton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
$95,233±$9kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$508,900±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
$6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Hampton Beach 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 | — | — | #31 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Winnacunnet High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.