Compare towns
Rochester vs Sidney vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most renters (34% rent).
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
Franklin has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Sidney | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144Highest |
4,790 |
1,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±1.8Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46±9.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Franklin 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rochester and Franklin 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 about the U.S. average |
$83,488±$10kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$65,455±$16kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$245,800±$59kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72Highest 3% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$888±$306Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
$2,231Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.7%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sidney and Franklin 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rochester School District | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.