Compare towns
Hartford vs Keene vs Lebanon vs Plymouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hartford | Keene | Lebanon | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
22,939Highest |
14,999 |
6,601Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$98,147±$10kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minHighest 30% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
18 minHighest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 70 in VT | #81 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hartford School District | Keene School District | Lebanon School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Keene High School | Lebanon High School | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.3 |
11.7 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.