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Rochester, NH

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Rochester, NH

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Demographics

HomogeneousSimpson's Diversity Index: 15
Population32,866
Foreign Born1.0%
Population Density730people per mi²
Median Age43.4 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

100/100
A

The Real Cost of Living in Rochester, New Hampshire

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $19k$37k
Comfortable $51k$75k
Luxury $115k+$177k+
Elite (Top 5%) $135k+$209k+
Affordability Ratio

106%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean91%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
33
Positive
25
Poor
3
Negative
4

Groceries

5 within 10 miles

1.1mi

Gas

20 within 10 miles

0.3mi

Hospital

6 within 20 miles

0.9mi

Airport

PDX — Portland International Jetport

41.3mi

Post Office

USPS — Somersworth, NH

6.3mi

Critical Amenities

Golf2Nearest 6.7 mi
Camping20Nearest 10.4 mi
Marina0Nearest 14.3 mi
Winery0Nearest 14 mi
Ice Rink0 
Gun Range2Nearest 6.3 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C+
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$79k+6.0%
6% above US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$728k
11% above US avg
College Educated
26.7%
24% below US avg
WFH
12.1%
15% below US avg
Homeownership
65.5%
Equal to US avg
Median Home
$263k
7% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
A
Very Safe

Lower crime rates than 82% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
13.2
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−50.0%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−55.6%
Homicide
0.00 / 1k Residents100% below state avg
Robbery
0.21 / 1k Residents88% above state avg
Aggravated Assault
0.71 / 1k Residents3% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr−44.4%
Burglary
0.92 / 1k Residents79% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
10.34 / 1k Residents46% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.92 / 1k Residents73% above state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: D+2Tilts Liberal

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Rochester, New Hampshire
Dem Rep
40%50%60%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B+
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C+
Fair9.6% of income
Property Rights
C-
FairIJ Grade C-
Firearm Rights
A+
GreatFPC Grade A+
Homeschooling
C+
WeakModerate regulation

Energy independence: Importer (10% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A+
Fully OpenRetail sales legal
Gambling Laws
B
Broadly OpenTribal · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
A-
Broadly LegalMedical + Decrim.

Homesteading

Growing Season191 days235 frost-free
Annual Rainfall48.7"
Elevation217 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
D+
Vulnerable

Multiple tactical vulnerabilities. Population density, target proximity, or disaster risk are likely compounding. A retreat property and exit planning is required.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
D-
Poor237 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak730/sq mi
Fallout Danger
B+
Good5 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
D+
WeakInland Flooding, Earthquake, Hurricane, Tornado, Ice Storm
Border / Coast
D
Poorborder 130 mi · coast 21 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$29.1M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityBoston676k people are 65 mi away
Nearest Major AirportPDX41 mi away
Distance to State Capital29 miConcord, NH
Nearest Prison20 mi2 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-22T23:05:57.000Z

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