Compare towns
Keene vs Bennington vs Holderness
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
Holderness has the most expensive homes ($363k 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 | Bennington | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,588Lowest |
1,917 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.1±7.8Highest about the NH average |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
| Bennington and Holderness 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% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Holderness 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% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$107,863±$45kHighest 9% above NH |
| Holderness and Bennington 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±$15k 34% below NH |
$363,100±$60kHighest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Highest about the NH average |
$5,944 11% below NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Bennington 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% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3% NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Holderness 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.