Compare towns
Keene vs Amherst vs Hooksett vs Somersworth
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Hooksett | Somersworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
11,861Lowest |
15,057 |
12,111 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
38.4±2.7 11% below NH |
| Amherst and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
19.9%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Somersworth 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%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
14%±3Lowest 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% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6 NH: 6% |
4.9%±2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$74,504±$13kLowest 25% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$318,400±$23k 21% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,477±$134 about the NH average |
| Hooksett and Somersworth 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 |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$6,805 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
56.3%±14.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Somersworth and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
57.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1967 12 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
26 min 3% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #117 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Hooksett School District | Somersworth School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town | Somersworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
| 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.