Compare towns
Keene vs Barnstead vs Newington
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).
Barnstead has the most kids (21% under 18).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k 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.
| Measure | Keene | Barnstead | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
4,994 |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
| Newington and Barnstead 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% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Barnstead 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% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
| Newington and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$362,400±$25k 10% below NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Highest about the NH average |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$6,081 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Barnstead 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% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Barnstead 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Barnstead School District | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| 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.