Compare towns
Rochester vs Pelham vs Fairlee
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 people working from home (40.8%).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 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 | Pelham | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
14,449Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Pelham School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.