What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goffstown has the highest household income ($114k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Goffstown	Rochester
People
Population	18,513Lowest	33,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH	43±1.8Highest about the NH average
	Rochester and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2%
	Rochester and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	19.6%±1.9Highest NH: 20.1%
	Rochester and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Highest NH: 40.6%	27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%	4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kHighest 15% above NH	$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kHighest 6% below NH	$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH	$1,369±$72Highest 8% below NH
	Rochester and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Highest 4% above NH	$5,334Lowest 20% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2%	46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Goffstown and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	8.3%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	66%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above NH	26 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Highest NH: 16.8%	11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Goffstown and Rochester 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	#35 of 120 in NH	#98 of 120 in NH
School district	Goffstown School District	Rochester School District
High school in town	Goffstown High School	Spaulding High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Lowest	13.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.