Chatham vs Rochester: which place suits you better?
Compare Chatham and Rochester on housing costs, schools, rail access and the contrasting character of their town centres.
Chatham place profile · Rochester place profile
Key differences between Chatham and Rochester
- Typical sold price
- Chatham: £260k · Rochester: £280k · £20k difference
- School performance
- Chatham: Typical · Rochester: Strong
Living in Chatham vs Rochester: at a glance
Chatham is slightly less expensive, with a typical sold price of £260k compared with £280k in Rochester. School performance is rated typical in Chatham and strong in Rochester. Chatham’s evidence points to a pedestrianised high street and its theatres, while Rochester has a much more historic centre around its cathedral, castle and other heritage buildings; the available rail information is not directly comparable because only Rochester’s side includes a timed London journey.
Local character and setting
Chatham
Chatham has a pedestrianised high street and cultural venues including the Central and Brook Theatres.
Sources: Medway's Town Centres - ChathamRochester
Rochester’s historic centre includes Rochester Cathedral, Rochester Castle, the Guildhall Museum and Eastgate House, alongside strong associations with Charles Dickens.
Sources: Rochester | Medway's Town CentresWhich place may suit your priorities?
Chatham
- Lower typical house prices
- Pedestrianised high street and local theatres
Rochester
- strong school performance
- Cathedral, castle and Dickens-associated historic centre
House prices in Chatham and Rochester
| Measure | Chatham | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Typical sold price £20k difference | £260k · 3,293 sales | £280k · 2,390 sales |
| Detached homes £77k difference | £438k · 276 sales | £515k · 208 sales |
| Semi-detached homes £22k difference | £313k · 738 sales | £335k · 536 sales |
| Terraced homes £30k difference | £245k · 1,949 sales | £275k · 974 sales |
| Flats £59k difference | £147k · 330 sales | £206k · 672 sales |
Commuting from Chatham and Rochester
| Measure | Chatham | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| National Rail access | Chatham | Rochester, Strood. Strood → London St Pancras · about 34 min by train. |
| Train times are station-to-station and do not include travel to the station or onward travel. Check current timetables and changes. | ||
Schools in Chatham and Rochester
| Measure | Chatham | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| School quality | Typical school performance | Strong school performance |
| Primary schools 21 vs 14 in the local count | 21 rated schools included for this area | 14 rated schools included for this area |
| These counts cover rated schools linked to the local area used by Homestead. Nearby schools may also serve the area, and the figures do not represent catchments or admissions. | ||
| Secondary schools 7 vs 5 in the local count | 7 rated schools included for this area | 5 rated schools included for this area |
Everyday life and green space
| Measure | Chatham | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Gigabit broadband 16 percentage point difference | 89% of premises | 73% of premises |
The trade-off between Chatham and Rochester
Chatham is slightly less expensive, while Rochester has strong school performance and the more distinctive historic setting around its cathedral, castle and Dickens associations. Rochester also has a timed Strood-to-St Pancras journey, but no equivalent Chatham time is shown, so rail speed cannot be compared fairly here.