Compare towns
Keene vs Amherst vs Brookline vs Westmoreland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Westmoreland has the oldest population (median age 55.3).
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 | Keene | Amherst | Brookline | Westmoreland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
11,861 |
5,736 |
2,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
55.3±2.2Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
47.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$104,444±$28k 5% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$351,800±$12k 13% below NH |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,354±$280 9% below NH |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$9,773 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,643Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
32.5%±23.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Westmoreland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
89.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Brookline 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Brookline School District | Westmoreland School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.