Compare towns
Rochester vs Dover vs Laconia
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%).
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Laconia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144 |
33,364Highest |
17,085Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43±1.8 about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.3±3.9Highest 5% above NH |
| Laconia and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±2.9Highest 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+ | 19.6%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.8%±2.7Highest 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+ | 27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest 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±$3k 18% below NH |
$94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$340,300±$16k 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72 8% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,334 20% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Laconia and Dover 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% |
12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Laconia 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 | #98 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #105 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rochester School District | Dover School District | Laconia School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | Dover Senior High School | Laconia High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2Highest |
12.7 |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.