Compare towns

Bethlehem vs Keene

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).

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.

MeasureBethlehemKeene
People
Population
2,537Lowest
22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.7%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
-1.5%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
50.6±8.5Highest
17% above NH
37.6±2.3Lowest
13% below NH
Kids under 18
17.7%±5.4Highest
NH: 18.2%
14.1%±1.6Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Bethlehem and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
28.2%±5.5Highest
NH: 20.1%
19.5%±1.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
45.1%Highest
NH: 40.6%
44.1%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.9%±0.9Lowest
NH: 6%
13.8%±1.4Highest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$85,029±$18kHighest
14% below NH
$78,445±$8kLowest
21% below NH
Bethlehem and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$288,300±$22kHighest
28% below NH
$252,500±$12kLowest
37% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,174±$81Lowest
21% below NH
$1,342±$68Highest
10% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,418Lowest
19% below NH
$6,812Highest
about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
41.3%±18.3Lowest
NH: 48.2%
44.5%±6.1Highest
NH: 48.2%
Keene and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
10.1%
NH: 7.2%
10.1%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.3%Highest
NH: 72.8%
55.1%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973Highest
6 yrs older than NH
1961Lowest
18 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minHighest
24% below NH
17 minLowest
36% below NH
Work from home
31.2%±12.9Highest
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±2.7Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Bethlehem 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 #34 of 120 in NH #81 of 120 in NH
School district Bethlehem School District · Profile School District Keene School District
High school in town Profile Senior High School Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school
8.9Lowest
12.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.