Compare towns
Rochester vs Windham vs Dover vs Braintree
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%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Windham | Dover | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,389 |
16,038Highest |
1,466 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$840±$405 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977 28% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,510 45% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Windham 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Dover 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Windham School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.