# Rochester

Town in Medway, South East.

Rochester is a town in Medway, South East. Median sale price £310,000 in 2025. Recorded crime 96.6 per 1,000 people. About 69,873 people.

Town. Code E63005132. In: [Towns](https://openindex.co.uk/places/towns) › [Medway](https://openindex.co.uk/medway)

Rochester is an ONS built-up area: the land built up as one town, whatever council it is in. Figures for Rochester add up the census output areas (or, for claimants, the neighbourhoods) that sit mostly inside it, so they are close to, but not exactly, the town’s own.

## Key figures

- **Median sale price: £310,000** (2025). The median price paid for a home in Rochester was £310,000 in 2025. Joint 391st most expensive of 1,092. Source: Worked out by Open Index from HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Published 28 September 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/town/rochester#f-house-sales-median-price
- **Population: 67,279** (2021). Rochester had 67,279 usual residents at the census (ONS Census 2021). 164th most populated of 1,209. Source: Census 2021, England and Wales and Scotland's Census 2022 and Census 2021, Northern Ireland, 2021. Published 21 July 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/town/rochester#f-population
- **People in radon Affected Area squares: 100%** (2022). About 100% of people in Rochester live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. UK 44%. Source: Worked out by Open Index from the UKHSA and BGS radon atlas and census output areas. Published 1 December 2022. https://openindex.co.uk/town/rochester#f-radon-affected-share
- **Gigabit broadband coverage: 89.5%** (January 2026). In Rochester, 89.5% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026 (Ofcom). UK 87.8%. Source: Connected Nations (Ofcom), January 2026. Published 13 May 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/town/rochester#f-gigabit-coverage

## On the map

- [Radon Affected Area by town](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=E63005132) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 100% of people in Rochester live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
- [Sales per year by town](https://openindex.co.uk/map/house-sales-per-year?place=E63005132) (Worked out by Open Index · 2025): 903 homes were sold in Rochester in 2025.
- [Crime and ASB by town](https://openindex.co.uk/map/recorded-crime?place=E63005132) (Police recorded crime and outcomes (data.police.uk) · August 2026): Crime and anti-social behaviour for Rochester.
- [Population by town](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=E63005132) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Rochester had 67,279 usual residents at the census.

## How Rochester compares

Each town against every other town the measure covers.

| Measure | Rochester | Rank | Compared with |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Median sale price | £310,000 | joint 30th cheapest | 209 towns, South East · 2025 |
| Population | 67,279 | 26th most populated | 209 towns, South East · 2021 |
| People in radon Affected Area squares | 100% | joint most people in radon Affected Areas | 209 towns, South East · 2022 |
| Gigabit broadband coverage | 89.5% | joint 95th lowest | 209 towns, South East · Jan 2026 |

## Is Rochester safe? What police records show

In the 12 months to August 2026, police recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour in Rochester at a rate of 96.6 per 1,000 people.
That compares with 81.3 per 1,000 people across South East.
Across England as a whole, the recorded crime rate was 96.3 per 1,000 people.
In August 2026 alone, 675 cases of crime and anti-social behaviour were recorded in Rochester.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the most common types were violence and sexual offences (2,566), anti-social behaviour (1,339) and other crime (1,054).
A year earlier, the recorded crime rate in Rochester was 102.8 per 1,000 people.
Worked out by Open Index from police.uk crime records and ONS and NISRA population estimates.
Rates are per resident, so places that many people work in or visit, such as Westminster, the City of London and other city centres, have far higher rates than their residents alone would suggest.

## Deprivation in Rochester, neighbourhood by neighbourhood

- Deprivation is ranked by neighbourhood, so Rochester has no single figure. Of its 39 neighbourhoods with a rank:
- Decile 1 (England’s most deprived 10%): 1 neighbourhood
- Decile 2: 4 neighbourhoods
- Decile 3: 9 neighbourhoods
- Decile 4: 5 neighbourhoods
- Decile 5: 7 neighbourhoods
- Decile 6: 1 neighbourhood
- Decile 7: 4 neighbourhoods
- Decile 8: 4 neighbourhoods
- Decile 9: 4 neighbourhoods

Source: English Indices of Deprivation 2025. Decile 1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods in England.

## Neighbourhoods in Rochester

| Area | People (census) | Recorded crime per 1,000 | Deprivation decile | Gigabit broadband |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Medway 004B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016147) | 1,954 | 67.7 per 1,000 | 8 | 57.9% |
| [Medway 004C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016148) | 2,185 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 8 | 92.3% |
| [Medway 004D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01035288) | 1,412 | 63.4 per 1,000 | 5 | 86.3% |
| [Medway 004E](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01035289) | 1,528 | 94.9 per 1,000 | 3 | 82.0% |
| [Medway 005A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016133) | 1,390 | 34.1 per 1,000 | 9 | 96.8% |
| [Medway 005B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016134) | 1,405 | 47.7 per 1,000 | 7 | 100.0% |
| [Medway 005C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016138) | 1,494 | 26.9 per 1,000 | 8 | 99.5% |
| [Medway 005D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016139) | 1,679 | 34.2 per 1,000 | 7 | 97.9% |
| [Medway 006A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016135) | 1,612 | 73.3 per 1,000 | 5 | 95.9% |
| [Medway 006B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016136) | 1,718 | 94.8 per 1,000 | 3 | 78.2% |
| [Medway 006C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016137) | 1,592 | 97.9 per 1,000 | 4 | 99.7% |
| [Medway 006D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016140) | 1,524 | 195.5 per 1,000 | 2 | 90.9% |
| [Medway 006E](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016141) | 1,799 | 67.9 per 1,000 | 3 | 92.5% |
| [Medway 008A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016151) | 1,703 | 52.8 per 1,000 | 6 | 100.0% |
| [Medway 008B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016152) | 1,562 | 117.4 per 1,000 | 2 | 93.6% |
| [Medway 008C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016153) | 1,563 | 173.8 per 1,000 | 1 | 98.2% |
| [Medway 008D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016155) | 1,664 | 103.0 per 1,000 | 3 | 99.5% |
| [Medway 011A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016150) | 1,804 | 75.5 per 1,000 | 2 | 95.9% |
| [Medway 011B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016154) | 1,732 | 387.5 per 1,000 | 3 | 74.5% |
| [Medway 011C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016156) | 1,706 | 52.8 per 1,000 | 5 | 99.7% |
| [Medway 011D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016157) | 2,419 | 73.8 per 1,000 | 5 | 94.0% |
| [Medway 011E](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016158) | 2,416 | 77.5 per 1,000 | 4 | 91.8% |
| [Medway 014A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016117) | 1,956 | 143.6 per 1,000 | 2 | 84.7% |
| [Medway 014B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016129) | 1,977 | 102.4 per 1,000 | 3 | 83.6% |
| [Medway 014C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016130) | 1,827 | 346.7 per 1,000 | 5 | 61.9% |
| [Medway 014D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016131) | 1,698 | 55.8 per 1,000 | 7 | 86.5% |
| [Medway 015F](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01035296) | 1,582 | 174.7 per 1,000 | 3 | 74.9% |
| [Medway 017A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016113) | 1,494 | 57.0 per 1,000 | 7 | 99.8% |
| [Medway 017B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016114) | 1,554 | 87.4 per 1,000 | 3 | 100.0% |
| [Medway 017C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016115) | 1,984 | 65.7 per 1,000 | 4 | 100.0% |
| [Medway 017D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016118) | 1,751 | 106.5 per 1,000 | 5 | 99.5% |
| [Medway 024A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016116) | 1,917 | 79.2 per 1,000 | 4 | 98.8% |
| [Medway 024B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016127) | 1,511 | 80.4 per 1,000 | 4 | 90.5% |
| [Medway 024C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016128) | 2,228 | 84.8 per 1,000 | 5 | 99.4% |
| [Medway 024D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016132) | 1,763 | 44.2 per 1,000 | 9 | 97.6% |
| [Medway 026A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016119) | 1,510 | 70.6 per 1,000 | 9 | 93.3% |
| [Medway 026B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016120) | 1,449 | 92.5 per 1,000 | 3 | 97.1% |
| [Medway 026C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016124) | 1,782 | 29.8 per 1,000 | 8 | 96.1% |
| [Medway 026D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016126) | 1,700 | 35.9 per 1,000 | 9 | 100.0% |

## Your MP

- [Rochester and Strood](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/rochester-and-strood): Lauren Edwards (Labour), MP since July 2024.

As of 18 October 2026. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0. Source: UK Parliament, Members API.

## Council

[Medway](https://openindex.co.uk/medway)

## Postcode districts covering Rochester

[ME1](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me1), [ME2](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me2), [ME3](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me3)

## Middle areas in Rochester

[Broomhill](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/broomhill), [Rede Common](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/rede-common), [Rochester East](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/rochester-east), [Rochester South East](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/rochester-south-east), [Rochester South West](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/rochester-south-west), [Rochester West](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/rochester-west), [Strood North & Frindsbury](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/strood-north-and-frindsbury), [Strood South & Temple Marsh](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/strood-south-and-temple-marsh), [Wainscott & City Estate](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/wainscott-and-city-estate)

## Towns near Rochester

[Chatham](https://openindex.co.uk/town/chatham), [Gillingham](https://openindex.co.uk/town/gillingham-medway), [Hoo St Werburgh](https://openindex.co.uk/town/hoo-st-werburgh), [Snodland](https://openindex.co.uk/town/snodland), [Gravesend](https://openindex.co.uk/town/gravesend), [Maidstone](https://openindex.co.uk/town/maidstone)

## Rochester in brief

Rochester is a town in Medway, South East.
About 69,873 people lived in Rochester in mid-2024 (worked out by Open Index from ONS small-area estimates); the median price paid for a home was £310,000 in 2025 across 903 sales (HM Land Registry) and police recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour at a rate of 96.6 per 1,000 people in the 12 months to August 2026 (police.uk).
The median price paid for a home in Rochester was £310,000 in 2025.
Rochester had 67,279 usual residents at the census.
About 100% of people in Rochester live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
In Rochester, 89.5% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026.

## About

- Type: Town
- Code: E63005132
- Constituency: [Rochester and Strood †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/rochester-and-strood)
- Council: [Medway †](https://openindex.co.uk/medway)
- Region: [South East](https://openindex.co.uk/south-east)
- Nation: [England](https://openindex.co.uk/england)
- Area: 14.96 km²
- People, mid-2024: 69,873*
- Neighbourhoods: 39
- Output areas: 204

* People: worked out by Open Index from neighbourhood estimates, shared out by where people lived at the census (by area in Northern Ireland). This area's edges do not follow neighbourhood edges, so the figure is close but not exact.
† Best fit: the constituency and council this town mostly lies in. Its edges do not follow theirs.

## Next door

[Chatham](https://openindex.co.uk/town/chatham), [Gillingham](https://openindex.co.uk/town/gillingham-medway), [Hoo St Werburgh](https://openindex.co.uk/town/hoo-st-werburgh), [Snodland](https://openindex.co.uk/town/snodland), [Gravesend](https://openindex.co.uk/town/gravesend), [Maidstone](https://openindex.co.uk/town/maidstone)

## Latest updates for Rochester

- August 2026 house prices published: HM Land Registry and partners · Oct 2026.
- September 2026 rent published: ONS private rents · Oct 2026.
- Dental practices updated: NHS England · Oct 2026.
- Schools updated: Ofsted · Oct 2026.

The same figures as JSON: https://openindex.co.uk/v1/places/E63005132

## How to cite

Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/town/rochester, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/town/rochester#f-house-sales-median-price.

Open Index's own text and the figures it works out are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source data keeps its publishers' licences, named with each figure. Give each figure's period and source with it.

Snapshot 2026.10.9. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/town/rochester