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.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Keene |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| 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.

