Compare towns
Keene vs Bennington vs Bristol
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).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Bennington | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,588Lowest |
3,273 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
42.7±5.7Highest about the NH average |
| Bristol and Bennington 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% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Bristol 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% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bristol 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$83,875±$7kHighest 15% below NH |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
| Bennington and Keene 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 |
$267,300±$15kHighest 34% below NH |
$258,300±$63k 36% below NH |
| Bennington and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,310±$97 12% below NH |
| Keene and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Highest about the NH average |
$5,944 11% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bristol 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Bennington 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 | — | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.