Compare towns
Bennington vs Keene vs Lebanon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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.
| Measure | Bennington | Keene | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
22,939Highest |
14,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Highest about the NH average |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
| Bennington and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lebanon and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
57.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$98,147±$10kHighest about the NH average |
| Lebanon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$15k 34% below NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$385,400±$29kHighest 4% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944Lowest 11% below NH |
$6,812 about the NH average |
$8,149Highest 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
17 min 36% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #81 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Keene School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.