Compare towns
Rochester vs Dover vs Concord
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
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%).
Concord has the oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
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 | Rochester | Dover | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144Lowest |
33,364 |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43±1.8Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
| Rochester and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Rochester and Concord 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% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Rochester and Concord 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% |
42.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Concord 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 |
$84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
| Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,441±$43 3% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$7,227 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #98 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rochester School District | Dover School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | Dover Senior High School | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2Highest |
12.7Lowest |
13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.