About
Life in Rochester
Rochester functions as a working-class regional center rather than a destination city—think steady jobs and accessible housing rather than upscale amenities or cultural buzz. The job market is genuinely solid, anchored by Frisbie Memorial Hospital and industrial manufacturers like Albany International and Spaulding Composites, so you're not entirely dependent on commuting elsewhere, though a 27-minute average commute suggests many people do. Housing is reasonably affordable for New Hampshire, with a median home value around $279,100 and median rents near $1,369, and the unemployment rate sits at a healthy 2.8%.
Rochester at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Foreign-Born
3.4%
Broadband Internet
93.2%
of households
Population Growth
+3.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.4% foreign-born, most often from Dominican Republic
Who lives in Rochester: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Rochester, the largest foreign-born group is from Dominican Republic (12.3%), and 1.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.2%
of residents
65 and Older
19.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.3%
of households
Married Couples
47.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 8% below NH average
Rent, home values, and income in Rochester
In Rochester, rent runs 8% below the NH average, and home values are 31% below the NH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,334
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $406,606 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below NH average
Unemployment in Rochester
Unemployment in Rochester is 0.4 percentage points lower than the NH average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Rochester Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute26.1 min avg
How Rochester residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Rochester, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 62% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 17 mi
Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM)
Regional airport · few flights91k passengers boarded in 2025
- 65 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 68% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Rochester runs 68% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
106.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,235.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Rochester Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 9 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
64.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Strafford County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Strafford County, which includes Rochester, the most common type is winter storm, with 9 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 12 | Winter Storm | $133,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 11 | Drought | $120,000 |
| 2019 | 7 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 12 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Strafford County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in York County, ME (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 18 miles from Rochester) is typically good — 353 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
353
per year
Moderate Days
9
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: York County, ME (18 mi away)
Climate80°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Rochester has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.1"
Annual Snowfall
38.9"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
145
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 15°F | 2.53" |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 2.22" |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 3.72" |
| Apr | 57°F | 35°F | 3.67" |
| May | 67°F | 45°F | 3.52" |
| Jun | 77°F | 54°F | 3.86" |
| Jul | 82°F | 60°F | 3.52" |
| Aug | 81°F | 58°F | 3.17" |
| Sep | 73°F | 50°F | 3.43" |
| Oct | 60°F | 39°F | 4.39" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 3.89" |
| Dec | 37°F | 22°F | 3.30" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Rochester
Rochester has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Frisbie Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Wentworth-douglass Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8 mi away · Dover
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Rochester
Rochester's student/teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Rochester (within 15 miles)
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
11.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,261 students · in-state tuition $19,682 · 78% graduate · median earnings $71,477 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Lowell National Historical Park, 48 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Rochester
Rochester has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Lowell National Historical Park (48 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Lowell National Historical Park
National Historical Park
48 mi awaySalem Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
54 mi awaySaugus Iron Works National Historic Site
National Historic Site
57 mi awayMinute Man National Historical Park
National Historical Park
61 mi awayBoston National Historical Park
National Historical Park
64 mi awayLongfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
National Historic Site
64 mi awayBoston African American National Historic Site
National Historic Site
65 mi awayJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
National Historic Site
66 mi awayPublic Libraries in Rochester
East Rochester Public Library
935 Portland Street, East Rochester
Rochester Public Library
65 South Main Street, Rochester
Cities Near Rochester
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Rochester?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Rochester FAQ
Is Rochester, New Hampshire affordable?⌄
Rochester's median rent is $1,369/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $80,836/year. Median home value is $279,100.
Is Rochester, New Hampshire safe?⌄
Rochester's violent crime rate was 106 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1235 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Rochester, New Hampshire?⌄
Rochester has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Rochester, New Hampshire?⌄
The cost of living in Rochester is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,369/month and median household income is $80,836/year. The median home value is $279,100. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Rochester, New Hampshire?⌄
The average commute in Rochester is 26 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from