03839 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
03839
03878
Opportunity
79 · Top 8%
vs75 · Top 13%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 44%
vs63 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs73 · Bottom 40%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
78 · Top 14%
vs66 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | 03839 | 03878 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,279 | 12,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,346 | $75,136 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,588 | $42,408 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 544/sq mi | 1,243/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $335,600 | $317,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,549 | $1,479 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.7% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.0% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 31.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.5% | 11.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 146 | 34 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -23.6% | -5.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.2" | 41.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 28.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.55 | 11.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.9% | 35.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
03839
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
03878
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Full profiles: 03839 — Rochester, NH · 03878 — Somersworth, NH · How this is calculated: methodology