Compare towns
Deering vs Keene vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deering has the highest household income ($101k).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
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 | Deering | Keene | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,938 |
22,939Highest |
1,588Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±5.7Highest 13% above NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
| Deering and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Deering are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±1.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
33.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,250±$16kHighest about the NH average |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
| Deering and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,900±$27kHighest 23% below NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$267,300±$15k 34% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,306±$116 12% below NH |
$1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
| Keene and Deering are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,223 7% below NH |
$6,812Highest about the NH average |
$5,944Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.9%±27.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 49% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
37 min 38% above NH |
| Work from home | 10%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Bennington 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 | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | — | Keene High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.