What stands out worked out from the figures below

Holderness has the highest household income ($108k).

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	Holderness	Rochester
People
Population	1,917Lowest	33,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH	43±1.8Highest about the NH average
	Rochester and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2%
	Rochester and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1%	19.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6%	4.3%±1Highest NH: 6%
	Rochester and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,863±$45kHighest 9% above NH	$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH
	Holderness and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$363,100±$60kHighest 10% below NH	$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH	$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,923Lowest 41% below NH	$5,334Highest 20% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	46.3%±7Highest NH: 48.2%
	Rochester and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.1%Highest NH: 7.2%	8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	66%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the NH average	26 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8%	11.8%±2.1Highest NH: 16.8%
	Rochester and Holderness 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	—	#98 of 120 in NH
School district	Holderness School District	Rochester School District
High school in town	None in town	Spaulding High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.2
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.