What stands out worked out from the figures below

Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).

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	Laconia	Rochester
People
Population	17,085Lowest	33,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.3±3.9Highest 5% above NH	43±1.8Lowest about the NH average
	Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2%	18.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1%	19.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.2%Highest NH: 40.6%	27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%	4.3%±1Highest NH: 6%
	Rochester and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH	$80,836±$3kHighest 18% below NH
	Rochester and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$340,300±$16kHighest 15% below NH	$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH	$1,369±$72Highest 8% below NH
	Rochester and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,484Lowest 33% below NH	$5,334Highest 20% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2%	46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.6%Highest NH: 7.2%	8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%	66%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below NH	26 minHighest about the NH average
Work from home	13.5%±3.8Highest NH: 16.8%	11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Laconia 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	#105 of 120 in NH	#98 of 120 in NH
School district	Laconia School District	Rochester School District
High school in town	Laconia High School	Spaulding High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0Lowest	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.