Compare towns
Keene vs Bath vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Bath has the oldest population (median age 45.4).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Bath | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939 |
8,815Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 118% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Dover 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Morse High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
14.8Highest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.