Thoughts on Rochester?

[Lloyd Danforth]

Yeah, it seems a bit too large to be considered a town.? What made me ask about that was that on the "101 reasons to move to the Seacoast" that was the #1 reason.

I think it is the 3rd largest city in the state. Called the Lilac City.

[president]

Is Dick Green the commie guy who thinks like Hankster?

Well, he thought Benson was a douche, but so did most voters.

[FTL_Ian]

Yeah, it seems a bit too large to be considered a town.  What made me ask about that was that on the "101 reasons to move to the Seacoast" that was the #1 reason.

I think it is the 3rd largest city in the state. Called the Lilac City.

It's actually 5th, I believe.

[Dreepa]

Seems FTL has done his homework.
Here are the cities with pop above 10K:

Laconia         16,941
Keene         23,015
Berlin         10,594
Hanover         11,086
Lebanon         13,470
Amherst         11,499
Bedford         20,475
Goffstown         17,784
Hudson         24,373
Manchester         109,761
Merrimack         26,540
Milford         14,643
Pelham         12,348
Nashua         88,297
Concord         42,175
Hooksett         12,918
Derry         34,710
Exeter         14,539
Hampton         15,376
Londonderry      24,408
Portsmouth      21,053
Raymond         10,384
Salem         29,768
Windham         12,368
Dover         28,688
Durham         13,280
Rochester         30,244
Claremont         13,175

[Mark]

Just noticed this thread. I've lived in Rochester since 1998. Gonic, actually, but it's the same town. (I don't know the lady you're talking about). My house has more than doubled in value since I bought it, and prices still seem to be climbing. Comments on what I've read so far:

- Downtown: They're supposedly developing a river walk to help get people and businesses downtown. I think the bigger issue is that there's basically no parking.

- Jobs: Navy base is not an issue, IMHO. Lots of people commute south and west from Rochester.The big box stores are knocking at the door, if you like that kind of thing.

- Traffic: There's one stretch that's a pain to navigate, but it's not really that bad.

- Slums: Yes, there are a few streets with high crime. Seems to be concentrated in one area, and crime (esp. drug activity) seems more common in that area over the last couple of years.

- Local politicians you'd know: Dick Green (mentioned earlier), Sandy Keans, Cliff Newton (got some Liberty Award last year). 

- Taxes: We pay about 3600/year. We have pretty good municipal services. 

Overall, we're happy there. Pretty close to the things we like to do (ski, camp, fish, shop, watch hockey, mountain bike, etc.). Boston's easily accessible, as are the White Mountains and the ocean.

[ken]

I thought it was 4th largest? Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and then Rochester. But to answer your question about a ?downtown life?, Rochester?s downtown life consists of Dover and Portsmouth, which is really all that bad because they aren?t very far away.

As far as traffic is concerned Rochester is kind of screwy because a river splits the town in half and there is only one bridge. They?ve been considering building another bridge for as long as I can remember but they never do it because of the cost. But traffic over all isn?t very problematic; it just takes longer to get from one part of town to another.

[Dreepa]

I thought it was 4th largest? Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and then Rochester.

Derry has more people.

[ken]

Hrmm, I guess you are right, I know Rochester used to be 4th I'm not sure when it became 5th.

[Mark]

There are a few spots that are tough traffic-wise during commuting hours and on summer weekends, but there are still ways to get around that. Once the big boxes go in near exit 13, that's likely to change. Right now, the traffic in most areas of the city is nowhere near Concord's, Derry's, or even Dover's.

[Fluff and Stuff]

There are a few spots that are tough traffic-wise during commuting hours and on summer weekends, but there are still ways to get around that. Once the big boxes go in near exit 13, that's likely to change. Right now, the traffic in most areas of the city is nowhere near Concord's, Derry's, or even Dover's.

What big box stores are you thinking of?  When I was in Rochester, I saw a Wal-mart and Home Depot.

[Mark]

There are a few spots that are tough traffic-wise during commuting hours and on summer weekends, but there are still ways to get around that. Once the big boxes go in near exit 13, that's likely to change. Right now, the traffic in most areas of the city is nowhere near Concord's, Derry's, or even Dover's.

What big box stores are you thinking of?  When I was in Rochester, I saw a Wal-mart and Home Depot.

There's a monstrous dirt-moving project in progress on Rt. 202, just off of exit 13 (about 2 miles from Home Depot, but more on the Fairgrounds side of town). Word is it'll be a Kohl's and a national chain restaurant for now.

[Fluff and Stuff]

There are a few spots that are tough traffic-wise during commuting hours and on summer weekends, but there are still ways to get around that. Once the big boxes go in near exit 13, that's likely to change. Right now, the traffic in most areas of the city is nowhere near Concord's, Derry's, or even Dover's.

What big box stores are you thinking of?? When I was in Rochester, I saw a Wal-mart and Home Depot.

There's a monstrous dirt-moving project in progress on Rt. 202, just off of exit 13 (about 2 miles from Home Depot, but more on the Fairgrounds side of town). Word is it'll be a Kohl's and a national chain restaurant for now.

Kohl's are really nice.  We just starting getting them where I live.  Yet another reason to move to Rochester 

[Dreepa]

Kohl's are really nice.? We just starting getting them where I live.? Yet another reason to move to Rochester?

Yeah I am going to move to a town because of a store...

[ken]

I believe that part of all that construction is Pizza Hut moving down the street to make room for the new on ramp for  rt16 and also that a new dunkin donuts is going in.

[Russell Kanning]

Don't worry Ian .... they are putting in a new Dunkin Donuts.