Rochester is a city located in the Southeastern corner of New Hampshire in the Seacoast region of the state. It is situated in Eastern Strafford County and encompasses a total area of 45.8 square miles, only .3 of which is water. As of the 2010 United States Census, Rochester was home to 29,752 residents.
Before it was settled by Europeans, the area now known as Rochester was first inhabited by Abenaki Indians. In 1722, city became one of four to receive a grant from Massachusetts Governor Samuel Shute. At the time, it includes the nearby towns of Farmington and Milton, which separated in 1798 and 1802, respectively. Over the years, the city has been called home by many notable people, including: New Hampshire governors Huntley N. Spaulding, Rolland H. Spaulding and Samuel D. Felker; Congressmen and women James Farrington, Carol Shea-Porter and Nathaniel Upham; inventory Isaac Adams; NHL players Freddy Meyer and Brandon Rogers; and U.S. Senator John P. Hale.
Rochester has only .3 square miles of water, which amounts to just under .8 percent of the city’s total area; however, there are several bodies of water in the city, including Salmon Falls, Isinglass River and Cochecho River. Notable sites in the area include the Rochester Historical Society Museum, the Rochester Operate House, the Roger Allen Sports Facility and the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts.
The city of Rochester is governed by an elected town council. It boasts a full-time police department, a municipal fire department and municipal emergency medical services. Top employers in the area include the City of Rochester, Frisbie Memorial Hospital, Albany Engineered Composites, Hannaford Brothers, Wal-Mart and Market Basket. Children in the area attend schools in the Rochester School Department, which includes eight elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. The district also boasts the Bud Carlson Academy and the Richard Creteau Regional Technology Center.