Compare towns
Exeter vs Keene vs Roxbury vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most kids (17% under 18).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k 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 | Exeter | Keene | Roxbury | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
22,939Highest |
299Lowest |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
43.2±17.7 about the NH average |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Keene and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$323,100±$219k 20% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
— | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,812 about the NH average |
$5,787Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1961 18 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Keene School District | — | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Keene High School | — | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.3Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.