Compare towns
Keene vs Amherst vs Concord
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 affordable homes ($253k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939 |
11,861Lowest |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,462±$256Highest about the NH average |
$1,441±$43 3% below NH |
| Amherst and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$7,227 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Concord 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
10.4Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.