Rochester City Council 2025 Budget Is $27 Million Less Than Last Year

Diane LaVoie

June 18, 2025

Rochester city council’s new budget total for 2025 has been unveiled at $680,455.

It is $27 million less than last year’s adopted budget.

Undistributed funds make up the largest share of expenses, followed by significant allocations to the Rochester Police Department and the Department of Environmental Services.

Before approval, the City Council added three budgetary intent resolutions, including $1 million aimed at affordable housing, community development, neighborhood safety, family services, and youth programs.

Additional targeted funds support housing and emergency aid for the Rochester LGBTQIA+ community and immigrant and refugee populations.

Other key investments include $220,000 for urgent home repairs and senior services, $80,000 for the Thomas P. Ryan R-Center playground, $63,000 for youth summer literacy jobs, and $45,000 for Culture and Heritage Committees, including a new LGBTQIA+ committee. The budget takes effect July 1, 2025.

The 2025 City Budget details specific funding allocations and notable adjustments compared to last year.

About the author
Diane LaVoie
With over two decades of business journalism experience, Diane LaVoie has been leading our business coverage since 2017. A Nashua native and UNH graduate, Diane spent ten years at the Boston Globe covering regional economics before returning to her home state to raise her family. Her specialty is connecting national economic trends to local impacts, making complex financial news accessible to everyday readers. Diane has developed a respected column, "Granite State Business," featuring profiles of local entrepreneurs and analyzing economic development in New Hampshire's diverse communities from the North Country to the Massachusetts border. She serves on the board of the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center and frequently speaks at community events about the state's economic outlook. Outside of work, Diane is an avid gardener, cookbook collector, and youth soccer coach. She lives in Bedford with her husband and twin daughters.