What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).

Hampton has the most people working from home (21.7%).

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	Rochester	Hampton
People
Population	5,837Lowest	16,426Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.5±6Lowest 20% above U.S.	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Rochester and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$120,273±$12kHighest 49% above U.S.	$95,233±$9kLowest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S.	$550,200±$39kLowest 65% above U.S.
	Rochester and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,432±$743Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S.
	Hampton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,530Lowest 109% above U.S.	$6,813Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 38% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#104 of 282 in MA	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.1Lowest	10.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.