Compare towns
Keene vs Bedford vs Dover
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).
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Bedford | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Lowest |
23,746 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Dover 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% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Bedford School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Bedford High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.7 |
| 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.