Compare towns
Rochester vs Plainfield vs Dummerston vs Hancock
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%).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($442k median).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Hancock has the most renters (40.5% 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 | Plainfield | Dummerston | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,389 |
2,522Highest |
2,090 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
33.8±11.6Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Dummerston 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Hancock 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$76,250±$34k 6% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$187,900±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$939±$19 34% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 28% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Dummerston 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Dummerston 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Plainfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.