Compare towns

Concord vs Hooksett vs Exeter 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

Hooksett has the most homeowners (80.6%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
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.

MeasureConcordHooksettExeterKeene
People
Population
44,375Highest
15,057Lowest
16,151
22,939
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%
NH: +4.6%
+10.6%
NH: +4.6%
+12.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
-1.5%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
40.7±1.3
6% below NH
41.3±1.5
5% below NH
45.8±2.3Highest
6% above NH
37.6±2.3Lowest
13% below NH
Kids under 18
17.2%±1.3
NH: 18.2%
17.4%±2.9Highest
NH: 18.2%
17%±2.7
NH: 18.2%
14.1%±1.6Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Hooksett and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.7%±1.5
NH: 20.1%
17.3%±2.4Lowest
NH: 20.1%
24.4%±2.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
19.5%±1.8
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.3%
NH: 40.6%
39.6%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
59.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
44.1%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6%±0.8Lowest
NH: 6%
8.9%±1.6
NH: 6%
6.1%±1.8
NH: 6%
13.8%±1.4Highest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$84,902±$5k
14% below NH
$117,962±$11kHighest
19% above NH
$110,346±$13k
11% above NH
$78,445±$8kLowest
21% below NH
Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$350,900±$13k
13% below NH
$407,000±$26k
about the NH average
$456,600±$21kHighest
13% above NH
$252,500±$12kLowest
37% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,441±$43
3% below NH
$1,661±$206
11% above NH
$1,856±$223Highest
24% above NH
$1,342±$68Lowest
10% below NH
Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,227
8% above NH
$6,554Lowest
about the NH average
$8,814Highest
32% above NH
$6,812
about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.1%±5.2
NH: 48.2%
41.7%±16.4Lowest
NH: 48.2%
59%±11.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
44.5%±6.1
NH: 48.2%
Exeter and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.9%
NH: 7.2%
3.3%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
4.7%
NH: 7.2%
10.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
56.8%
NH: 72.8%
80.6%Highest
NH: 72.8%
69.1%
NH: 72.8%
55.1%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969
10 yrs older than NH
1988Highest
9 yrs newer than NH
1979
same as NH
1961Lowest
18 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
14% below NH
27 minHighest
about the NH average
25 min
7% below NH
17 minLowest
36% below NH
Work from home
14.1%±1.8
NH: 16.8%
13.4%±3.1Lowest
NH: 16.8%
19.9%±3.7Highest
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±2.7
NH: 16.8%
Exeter 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 #89 of 120 in NH #30 of 120 in NH #22 of 120 in NH #81 of 120 in NH
School district Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Hooksett School District Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District Keene School District
High school in town Concord High School None in town Exeter High School Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.0Highest
—
12.1Lowest
12.3
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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.