Compare towns
Chatham vs Keene vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sharon has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Chatham | Keene | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 430Lowest |
22,939Highest |
442 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48.3±8.6 12% above NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
49.4±11.2Highest 14% above NH |
| Sharon and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±7.4 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±10 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sharon and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,042±$19kLowest 33% below NH |
$78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$113,125±$19kHighest 14% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,900±$42k 10% below NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$475,900±$38kHighest 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,458±$1kHighest about the NH average |
| Sharon and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,690Lowest 45% below NH |
$6,812 about the NH average |
$8,274Highest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 33% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 7.3%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Sharon 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Keene School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Keene High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| 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.