Compare towns
Rochester vs Pelham vs Manchester
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).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
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 | Pelham | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144 |
14,449Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43±1.8Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Rochester and Pelham 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% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Rochester 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% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Rochester and Pelham 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% |
40%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Pelham 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 |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$81,007±$2k 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$5,922 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #98 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rochester School District | Pelham School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | Pelham High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2 |
10.4Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.