Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Nashua 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
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Nashua has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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.
| Measure | Dunbarton | Nashua | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
91,294Highest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
40±1.3 8% below NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±1.2 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dunbarton and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
$96,326±$5k about the NH average |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$403,900±$11k about the NH average |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Highest 23% above NH |
$6,799Lowest about the NH average |
$6,812 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.8% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Nashua 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #67 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Nashua School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Nashua High School South | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| 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.