Compare towns
Montgomery vs Sutton vs Dover 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
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Montgomery | Sutton | Dover | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,047Lowest |
2,239Highest |
1,466 |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.3 32% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montgomery and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,289±$24k 34% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,200±$45k about the U.S. average |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $868±$209 39% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,326 39% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,510 45% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.6%±68Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 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 | ||||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Kearsarge Regional School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.