Nashua vs Rochester
Nashua, New Hampshire versus Rochester, New Hampshire: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Nashua edges out Rochester on overall objective livability (54 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Nashua | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $56k |
| Home Value | $345k | $238k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.84% | 2.18% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.15% | 6.93% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3 in | 51.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 52.9 in | 38.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 230 days | 174 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.4 | 33.0 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 34 AQI |
| School Quality | 79.6 | 65.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1177/100k | 1607/100k |
| Property Crime | 1071/100k | 1774/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 90,943 | 32,573 |
| Median Age | 40.1 | 43.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.38 | 0.14 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+16 |
| White (%) | 73.0% | 91.5% |
| Black (%) | 2.2% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.1% | 2.0% |
| Asian (%) | 7.6% | 1.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 7.7/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 37 mi | 65 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.7% | 89.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 28.81 | 13.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nashua or Rochester more affordable?
- Nashua has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Nashua's $54k and Rochester's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Nashua versus $1k in Rochester.
- Is Nashua or Rochester safer?
- Nashua has the lower violent crime rate. Nashua reports 1177/100k and Rochester reports 1607/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Nashua or Rochester?
- The median home value is $345k in Nashua and $238k in Rochester, so homes are more affordable in Rochester.