Compare towns
Dover vs Lenox 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%).
Lenox has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Lenox | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
5,079Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
60.1±4.3Highest 54% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Lenox and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Lenox 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% |
40.1%±7.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lenox 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lenox 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. |
$106,080±$31kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Lenox and Rochester 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 |
$466,700±$43kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,091±$238Highest 23% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Lenox and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$5,299Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.2%±18.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Dover 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 | — | #90 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Lenox | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Lenox Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.