What it's like to live in Rochester
Rochester is a small city in New Hampshire with home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Rochester deals with cold winters, snowy winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Rochester compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Rochester
Based on Rochester's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,738
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,760 a year
- 45% of Rochester renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$55,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $27,910
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,369/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,369 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $279,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $279,100 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 35% below US
2.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 68% below US
106 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1235/100k · Rochester Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 25% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Lowell National Historical Park (48 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Rochester's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,369/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Rochester
All New Hampshire guides →Not sure Rochester is the one?
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