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Rochester, NH

Community Contact Rochester Department of Economic Development
Karen Pollard, Economic Development Manager
31 Wakefield Street, City Hall
Rochester, NH 03867-1917
 
Telephone (603) 335-7522
Fax (603) 335-7597
E-mail karen.pollard@rochesternh.net
Web Site www.rochesternh.net
 
Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8 am - 5 pm
 
County Strafford
Labor Market Area Rochester-Dover NH-ME Metro-NECTA, NH Portion
Tourism Region Lakes
Planning Commission Strafford Regional
Regional Development Southeast Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts  
US Congress
 District 1 (All Wards)
Executive Council
 District 2 (All Wards)
State Senate
 District 6 (All Wards)
State Representative
 Strafford County District 1 (All Wards)
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: 2,857 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Rochester, the ninth largest numeric increase among the cities and towns, totaled 14,787 over 50 years, from 13,776 in 1950 to 28,563 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was a 24 percent increase between 1980 and 1990. The 2008 Census estimate for Rochester was 30,654 residents, which ranked fifth among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
 
Population Density, 2008: 683.9 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, 2010 $29,070,547
Budget: School Appropriations, 2010 $54,328,678
Zoning Ordinance 1984/05
Master Plan 2001
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

Public Library East Rochester Public; Rochester Public

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time
Emergency Medical Service Municipal

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Frisbie Memorial, Rochester Local 70
     
     

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH
Natural Gas Supplier Unitil Northern
Water Supplier Municipal

Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal  
Curbside Trash Pickup
 Municipal
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
 No
Recycling
 Voluntary

Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 Yes
Residential
 Yes

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2008 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $19.99
2008 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $19.71

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 78.8%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 19.4%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 1.9%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 13,477
   
2008 Single-Family Units 6,521
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 66
2008 Multi-Family Units 4,348
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 2,608
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 30,654 121,914
2000 28,563 112,676
1990 26,722 104,348
1980 21,560 85,408
1970 17,938 70,431

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 13,838
Female
 14,623

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 1,929
Age 5 to 19
 5,912
Age 20 to 34
 5,567
Age 35 to 54
 8,769
Age 55 to 64
 2,450
Age 65 and over
 3,834
Median Age
 36.7 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 82.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 15.2%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $18,859
Median 4-person family income $47,324
Median household income $40,596

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $34,290
Female
 $23,319

Families below the poverty level 6.3%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
 14,297 17,031
Employed
 13,799 16,336
Unemployed
 498 695
Unemployment Rate
 3.5% 4.1%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries    
Average Employment
 2,950 1,844
Average Weekly Wage
 $746 $856
     
Service Providing Industries    
Average Employment
 8,669 8,511
Average Weekly Wage
 $554 $652
     
Total Private Industry    
Average Employment
 11,619 10,354
Average Weekly Wage
 $603 $688
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)    
Average Employment
 934 1,406
Average Weekly Wage
 $579 $708
     
Total, Private plus Government    
Average Employment
 12,553 11,760
Average Weekly Wage
 $601 $691
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES (NH Dept. of Education)
Schools students attend: Rochester operates grades K-12 District: SAU 54
Career Technology Center(s): Dover Voc. Center; Somersworth Reg. Voc. Center; Creteau Voc. Center, Rochester Region: 12
 
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
 8 1 1 3
Grade Levels
 P K 1-5 6-8 9-12 K 1-12
Total Enrollment
 1,976 1,003 1,574 219
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 27 Total Capacity: 1,036
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay
Nearest Colleges or Universities: University of NH

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
City of Rochester Municipal services 1,367 1891
Frisbie Memorial Hospital Health care services 655 1919
KW Thompson Tool Firearms/Investment Castings 375 1989
Hannaford Brothers Supermarket 464 1963
Wal-Mart Supercenter Retail store, supermarket 295 1970
Market Basket Supermarket 210 1996
Waste Management Recycling & solid waste 200 1983
Home Depot Home improvement center 176 2001
Laars Technologies Boilers & water heaters 170 1984
Eastern Propane & Oil Retail propane & oil 162 1989

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 Yes
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Skyhaven, Rochester
Runway
 4,001 ft. asphalt
Lighted?
 Yes  Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 42 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 6

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 43 miles
Portland, ME
 54 miles
Boston, MA
 75 miles
New York City, NY
 286 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 271 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 82.5%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 12.0%
Public transportation
 0.6%
Walked
 1.2%
Other Means
 1.4%
Worked at home
 2.3%
Mean Travel Time to Work 23.7 minutes
   
Percent of Working Residents:  
Working in community of residence
 36%
Commuting to another NH community
 57%
Commuting out-of-state
 7%
   
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
X YMCA/YWCA
  Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
  Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility
  Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
X Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
  Bowling Facilities
X Museums
X Cinemas
X Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourists Attractions
X Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 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 Recreational Area
  Overnight or Day Camps
   
  Nearest Ski Area(s): Gunstock
   
  Other: Rochester Fair; Live Performances; Opera House; Skyhaven Airport; Farmer's Markets; Art Galleries; History Museum; Oktoberfest

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2009. Community Response Received 09/18/09

All information regarding the communities is from sources deemed reliable and is submitted subject to errors, omissions, modifications, and withdrawals without notice. No warranty or representation is made as to the accuracy of the information contained herein. Specific questions regarding individual cities and towns should be directed to the community contact.