What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Freeport	Keene
People
Population	8,802Lowest	22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S.	37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S.	$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S.	$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,439±$123Highest about the U.S. average	$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Freeport and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,042Lowest 62% above U.S.	$6,812Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Freeport and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 11% below U.S.	17 minLowest 35% below U.S.
Work from home	21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Freeport 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	#4 of 133 in ME	#81 of 120 in NH
School district	RSU 05	Keene School District
High school in town	Freeport High School	Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	12.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.