Compare towns
Henniker vs Keene vs Eliot vs Hillsborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Hillsborough has the most homeowners (92.3%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Keene | Eliot | Hillsborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,197 |
22,939Highest |
7,146 |
5,980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +27.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.1±6.1Lowest 20% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
40.9±4.6 5% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hillsborough and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,206±$21k 18% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$84,495±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,700±$49k 7% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$272,300±$16k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,081±$164Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,198±$390 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,877Highest 185% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,815 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hillsborough and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #97 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Henniker School District | Keene School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | None in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| 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.