Compare towns
Rochester vs Laconia vs Barrington
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).
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Barrington has the most people working from home (18.7%).
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.
| Measure | Rochester | Laconia | Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144Highest |
17,085 |
9,489Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43±1.8 about the NH average |
45.3±3.9Highest 5% above NH |
38.7±2.3Lowest 11% below 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%±1.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Barrington and Laconia 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% |
22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest 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% |
27.2% NH: 40.6% |
42.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Barrington 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 |
$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH |
$110,323±$14kHighest 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
$340,300±$16k 15% below NH |
$399,100±$30kHighest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72 8% below NH |
$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,867±$194Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,334 20% below NH |
$4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
$7,121Highest 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.5%±10.2 NH: 48.2% |
63.1%±25.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Barrington and Laconia 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% |
12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66% NH: 72.8% |
64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±4.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Barrington 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 | #105 of 120 in NH | #65 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rochester School District | Laconia School District | Barrington School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | Laconia High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2Highest |
10.0Lowest |
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| 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.