What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k median).

Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).

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	Dover
People
Population	33,144Lowest	33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2% NH: +4.6%	+9.2% NH: +4.6%
Median age	43±1.8Highest about the NH average	36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH
Kids under 18	18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2%	16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±1.9Highest NH: 20.1%	16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	52%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6%	6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6%
	Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH	$94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH	$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH	$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,334Lowest 20% below NH	$8,249Highest 24% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2%	48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3% NH: 7.2%	8.3% NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66%Highest NH: 72.8%	52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH	1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the NH average	23 minLowest 15% below NH
Work from home	11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8%	18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#98 of 120 in NH	#64 of 120 in NH
School district	Rochester School District	Dover School District
High school in town	Spaulding High School	Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.2Highest	12.7Lowest
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.