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By Geography >> City/Town >> Rochester

 Rochester, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact Rochester Department of Economic Development
Michael Scala, Director Economic Development
31 Wakefield Street, City Hall
  Rochester, NH 03867-1917
 
Telephone (603) 335-7522
Fax (603) 330-0027
E-mail michael.scala@rochesternh.gov
Web Site www.rochesternh.gov
 
Municipal Office Hours City Hall, City Manager, City Clerk: Monday to Friday, 8-5; Tax Collector: Monday to Friday, 8-4:30
 
County Strafford County
Labor Market Area Dover-Durham, NH-ME Metropolitan NECTA, NH portion
Tourism Region Lakes Region
Planning Commission Strafford Regional Planning
Regional Development Southeast Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 1 (All Wards)
Executive Council District 1
State Senate District 6 (All Wards)
State Representative Strafford County Districts 2 (Ward 5), 5 (Ward 1), 6 (Ward 2), 7 (Ward 3), 8 (Ward 4), 9 (Ward 6), 19 (Wards 1-4, 6)
Incorporated: 1722
 
Origin: This town was one of four granted by Samuel Shute during his brief term as Governor of Massachusetts, which at the time included the New Hampshire province. The 1722 grant included what is now Farmington and Milton, and was named for a close friend of Governor Shute, Laurence Hyde, Earl of Rochester, who was a brother-in-law to King James II. The first settlers arrived in 1728, but due to trouble with Indians, the settlement didn't experience any growth until about 1760. Rochester was incorporated as a city in 1891. It includes the village of Gonic, named for the Indian Squamanagona, meaning day and water.
 
Villages and Place Names: East Rochester, Gonic
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 2857 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Rochester totaled 14,580 over 50 years, from 17,938 in 1970 to 32,518 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 24 percent increase from 1980 to 1990. The city's population increased by nine percent from 2010 to 2020. The 2023 Census estimate for Rochester was 33,519 residents, which ranked fifth among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
 
Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 748.2 persons per square mile of land area. Rochester contains 44.8 square miles of land area and 0.6 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Council/Manager
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2023 $46,466,946
Budget:School Appropriations,2022-2023 $71,954,485
Zoning Ordinance 1984/14
Master Plan 2018
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: City Council; Police; School
    Appointed: Planning; Zoning; Library; Conservation; Economic Development; Industrial Development; Arena; Historic; Utility; Arts & Culture
 
Public Library East Rochester Public; Rochester Public



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Municipal
Emergency Medical Service Municipal
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Frisbie Memorial, Rochester Local   27


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy
Natural Gas Supplier Unitil
Water Supplier Municipal
 
Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
    Curbside Trash Pickup Municipal
    Pay-As-You-Throw Program No
    Recycling Program Voluntary
 
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Business Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Resident Yes
 


Property Taxes (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration)
2023 Total Tax Rate $25.74
2023 Equalization Ratio 59.1
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $14.71
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 71.5%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 24.6%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 3.9%

 
Housing (ACS 2018-2022)
Total Housing Units 14,309
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 7,551
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 2,085
    Five or More Units in Structure 2,340
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 2,333




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 33,519   133,608
   2020 32,518   130,889
   2010 29,775   123,143
   2000 28,595   112,233
   1990 26,722   104,233
   1980 21,560   85,408

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2018-2022)
Population by Gender
Male   16,451 Female   16,122
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 1,410
      Age 5 to 19 5,501
      Age 20 to 34 6,024
      Age 35 to 54 8,391
      Age 55 to 64 5,216
      Age 65 and over 6,031
            Median Age 43.3 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 23,414
      High school graduation or higher 92.6%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 26.4%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2018-2022)
Per Capita Income $39,139
Median Family Income $91,295
Median Household Income $74,882
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $56,484
      Female $53,461
 
Individuals below poverty level 9.8%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 16,849   17,493
    Employed 15,932   17,146
    Unemploymed 917   347
    Unemployment rate 5.4%   2.0%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2013 2023
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  1,759  2,458
    Average Weekly Wage  $1,199  $1,620
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  7,885  8,293
    Average Weekly Wage  $670  $942
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  9,644  10,751
    Average Weekly Wage  $766  $1,097
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  1,390  1,227
    Average Weekly Wage  $776  $1,076
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  11,035  11,978
    Average Weekly Wage  $768  $1,095
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care NH Department of Education, 2023
Schools Students Attend: Rochester operates grades K-12 District: SAU 54
Career Technology Center: R.W. Creteau Regional Technology Ctr (Rochester)
 
Educational Facilities(includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 7 1 2 4
Grade Levels P K 1-5 6-8 9-12 P K 1-12 PG
Total Enrollment 1,617 774 1,405 146
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay
Nearest College or Universities: University of NH

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     17   Capacity:     1,109

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
City of Rochester Municipal services 387 1891
Frisbie Memorial Hospital Health care services 1048 1919
Albany/SAFRAN Engineered Composites Aerospace engineered products 750 1985
Hannaford Brothers - 2 locations Supermarket 264 1963
Wal-Mart Supercenter Retail store, supermarket 300 1970
Market Basket - 2 locations Supermarket 450 1996
Next Phase Medical (fka Phase 2 Medical) Medical device manufacturing 220 1995
Laars Technologies Boilers & water heaters 165 1984
City of Rochester - Schools Education 821 1751
Sig Sauer Firearms manufacturer 250 1985
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
Transportation (distance estimated from city/town hall)
Road Access US Routes: 202
State Routes: 11, 16, 108, 125, 202A
Nearest Interstate/Exit: Spaulding Tpk., Exits 12-16; I-95, Exit 5
Distance: Local access; 21 miles
 
Railroad NH Northcoast
Public Transportation COAST
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
    Skyhaven, Rochester Runway  4,200 ft. asphalt
    Lighted?  Yes Navigation Aids?  Yes
 
Nearest Airport With Scheduled Service
    Manchester-Boston Regional Distance   46 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 43 miles
    Portland, Maine 53 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 75 miles
    New York City, New York 285 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 271 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2018-2022)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 76.0%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 9.0%
  Used Public Transportation: 1.0%
  Walked: 1.2%
  Traveled by other means: 1.9%
  Worked at home: 10.8%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 27.8 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 61.3%
Commute to other NH community: 27.8%
Commute out-of-state: 10.9%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
X Municipal Parks
X YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
Swimming: INDOOR FACILITY
X Swimming: OUTDOOR FACILITY
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
X Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
X Museums
X Cinemas
X Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist Attractions
X Youth Organizations (ie Scouts and 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
X Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
X Youth Sports: Hockey
X Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreation Areas
X Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Gunstock
 
Other: Rochester Opera House; Skyhaven Airport; Rochester Farmer's Market; History Museum; Public Art Downtown; Concerts on the Common; Comic Book Day; Wings & Wheels; Historic Homes & Inns; Rochester Museum of Art (RMFA) Roger Allen Park; Walking Trails; Rochester Performing Arts Center; Trick or Treat/Zombie Walk; Dinner Theater Events; River Walk; Kayaking