What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goffstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).

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	Goffstown	Keene
People
Population	18,513Lowest	22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Highest NH: +4.6%	-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.3±3.1Highest 5% below NH	37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH
	Goffstown and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2%	14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Goffstown and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Keene and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	44.1%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%	13.8%±1.4Lowest NH: 6%
	Goffstown and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kHighest 15% above NH	$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kHighest 6% below NH	$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH	$1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH
	Keene and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Highest 4% above NH	$6,812Lowest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2%	44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Goffstown and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	10.1%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above NH	17 minLowest 36% below NH
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8%
	Keene and Goffstown 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	#35 of 120 in NH	#81 of 120 in NH
School district	Goffstown School District	Keene School District
High school in town	Goffstown High School	Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	12.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.