Rochester

Rochester was settled in 1679 on the lands called "Sippican" by the local Wampanoags, along the coast of Buzzards Bay. The town was officially incorporated on June 4, 1686 as Rochester, and was named for Rochester, England, from which early settlers to the town came. In 1852 and 1857 the towns of Marion and Mattapoisett, respectively, were separated and incorporated as separate towns, thus landlocking Rochester. Rochester is about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of New Bedford, 40 miles (64 km) east of Providence, Rhode Island, and 60 miles (97 km) south of Boston. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.4 square miles (94 km²), of which 33.9 sq miles (88 km²) is land and 2.5sq miles (6.5km²), or 6.76%, is water. A freight rail line operated by the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad passes through the northeast corner of town. The nearest inter-city (Amtrak) passenger rail station is in Providence; however, the terminus of the Middleborough-Lakeville line of the MBTA's commuter rail is nearby, providing direct service to Boston. The town is also the site of the Sippican Rod & Gun Club, near the Haskell Wildlife Management Area, as well as a small recreation area along Mary's Pond and two parks near the town center.

History

Rochester was settled in 1679 on the lands called "Sippican" by the local Wampanoags. It originally included the lands of Mattapoisett, Marion and parts of Wareham. The town was officially incorporated on June 4, 1686 as Rochester, and was named for Rochester, England, from which early settlers to the town came. In 1852 and 1857 the towns of Marion and Mattapoinett, respectively, were separated and incorporated as separate towns, thus landlocking Rochester. Since that time, the town has become mostly rural-residential, with some farms located in town. Rochester is a "Right to Farm" community. It is located on the coast of Buzzards Bay, along the New England coast. It has a population of about 2,000 people, with most of its residents living in or near the town center. It was once the largest town in the state, but is now one of the smallest towns in the U.S., with just over 1,000 residents. It also has the second-largest population of any town in New England, after Boston, with about 1,200 people. The city's population was 1,700 in 1852, and 1,800 in 1857. It had a population peak of 2,200 in 1853, but has since declined to around 1,100. It now has a total population of 3,000, with the majority of its people living in the town centre.

Geography

Rochester is located along the western border of Plymouth County, and is bordered by Lakeville and Middleborough to the north, Wareham and Marion to the east, Mattapoisett to the south, and Acushnet and Freetown to the west. The town is about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of New Bedford, 40 miles (64 km) east of Providence, Rhode Island, and 60 miles (97 km) south of Boston. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.4 square miles (94 km²), of which 33.9 sq miles (88 km²) is land and 2.5sq miles (6.5km²), or 6.76%, is water. The Mattap Loisett and Sippican rivers flow through the town, emptying into Buzzards Bay. Other ponds include Snipatuit Pond, Long Pond, Snow's Pond, Hartley's Mill Pond, Mary's Pond and Hathaway Pond. The town has two wildlife management areas and a fish hatchery, as well as a small recreation area along Mary's pond and two parks near the town center. It is also the site of the Sippican Rod & Gun Club, near the Haskell Wildlife Management Area, and the town is also home to a small fishing hatchery and a number of other wildlife management area and park areas. It has a population of 2,715.

Transportation

The nearest inter-city (Amtrak) passenger rail station is in Providence. The nearest national air service is at T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island, and the nearest international airport is Logan International Airport in Boston. A freight rail line operated by the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad passes through the northeast corner of town. The town can be accessed via Exits 19B (North Street, Mattapoisett) and 20 (Route 105, Marion) along Interstate 195. It is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs through the town of New Bedford. The turnpike ends at a junction with Interstate 495 near the town's northeast corner, just before its exit on Route 58. It also terminates along the town line at Route 28, which terminates at the town center. It can also be accessed along Route 105, which travels through the center of the town, and Interstate 195, which ends at Exit 19B. The closest Amtrak station is Providence, but the MBTA's Middleborough-Lakeville line is nearby, providing direct service to Boston. There is also an MBTA commuter rail station in New Bedford, which provides service to Lakeville and the Middleborough/Middleborough line of theMBTA's commuter rail. It's also possible to get to New Bedford by air from Providence, where the nearest airport is in Warwick, Rhode Island. There are no direct flights to Boston from New Bedford; the nearest direct flights are from Rhode Island to Boston are from Providence.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,581 people, 1,575 households, and 1,294 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 96.64% White, 0.63% African American,0.20% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 1.16% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population. The town's population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there are 100.6 males. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.20. the town's median income was $63,289, and the median income for a family was $67,031. The per capita income for the town is $24,630. About 2.4%. of families and 3.1%. of the residents were below the poverty line, including 4.4. of those under age 18 and 4. 4% of those age 65 or over. The town is located on the U.S.-Mexico border. It is located near the border with Mexico. It has a population of 1,634, and a population density of 135.0.

Government

The town uses the open town meeting form of government, led by a board of selectmen. The town hall is located at the Town Common along Route 105. Rochester is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by William R. Keating. The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Elizabeth Warren. The junior senator is Ed Markey. In 2012, the town adopted a "Right-to-Farm" bylaw which "encourages the pursuit of agriculture, promotes agriculture-based economic opportunities, and protects farmlands within the Town of Rochester by allowing agricultural uses and related activities" The town is patrolled by the Seventh (Bourne) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police. The town's Highway Department is located near Varella Corner and is responsible for snow removal and road upkeep. It is also home to the Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library (a part of the SAILS Library Network) and the town's post office. The volunteer fire department is located closer to the geographic center of town. It is located in the town of Westport and is known as "Rochester Fire Station No. 1" on the Massachusetts Turnpike. It was built in the early 1900s and is located on the corner of Route 105 and Varella Road. Rochester has a population of about 2,000 people, with most of its residents living in or near the town center. It has an average income of about $30,000.

Education

Rochester is a member of the 2,700-student Old Rochester Regional School District. The town, along with Marion and Mattapoisett, operate as a single school system with each town having its own school subcommittee. Rochester Memorial School for kindergarten through sixth-grade students. High school students may also choose to attend Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School, located in North Rochester. The nearest private school is Tabor Academy in Marion. The school district's mascot is the bulldog, and their colors are red and white. The high school, affectionately known as "O.R.R.," competes in the South Coast Conference for athletics. The town's Thanksgiving Day football rival is Apponequet Regional High School, in Lakeville. The district's curriculum includes shops such as welding, cosmetics, auto, wood work, and many more. It is located on Route 6 in Mattap Loisett, just over the Marion town line. The next closest school to Rochester is Rochester Memorial High School in Rochester, which is on Route 2 in Rochester and Route 3 in Marion, about 10 miles away. The last school to be closed in the district was Rochester Memorial Junior High School on Route 1 in Rochester. It was closed in 1998. The current school is Old Rochester High School and is located in Rochester on Route 4 in Mattapsoisett and Route 5 in the town of Rochester, about 15 miles from the town center. It has a mascot, the Cougar, and they compete in the Pilgrim Conference.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts = 85.1. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 27. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 30. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Rochester = 3.3 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 33,107 individuals with a median age of 41.1 age the population grows by 15.56% in Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 168.6 residents per square mile of area (65.0/km²). There are average 2.86 people per household in the 1,846 households with an average household income of $88,342 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 6.90% of the available work force and has dropped -4.66% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 23.78%. The number of physicians in Rochester per 100,000 population = 154.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Rochester = 49.5 inches and the annual snowfall = 29.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 126. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 201. 82 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 17.8 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 51, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts which are owned by the occupant = 89.14%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 28 years with median home cost = $305,220 and home appreciation of -2.19%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $13.98 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,417 per student. There are 14.6 students for each teacher in the school, 1056 students for each Librarian and 535 students for each Counselor. 12.22% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 19.68% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 8.04% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).