What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).

Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amesbury	Keene
People
Population	17,403Lowest	22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-1.5% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S.	37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Keene and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.	$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.	$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.	$6,812Lowest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	17 minLowest 35% below U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Amesbury and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#151 of 282 in MA	#81 of 120 in NH
School district	Amesbury	Keene School District
High school in town	Amesbury High	Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	12.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.