What stands out worked out from the figures below

Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).

Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k 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	Keene	Amesbury
People
Population	22,939Highest	17,403Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S.	43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Keene and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average	$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S.	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S.	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,812Lowest 118% above U.S.	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 35% below U.S.	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Amesbury 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	#81 of 120 in NH	#151 of 282 in MA
School district	Keene School District	Amesbury
High school in town	Keene High School	Amesbury High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Highest	10.9Lowest
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.