Compare towns
Keene vs Bennington vs Sullivan
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%).
Sullivan has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,588 |
687Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
46.6±6.5Highest 8% above NH |
| Sullivan 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% |
16.3%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Sullivan 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% |
20.5%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sullivan 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% NH: 40.6% |
28.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$106,667±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
| Sullivan 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±$12k 37% below NH |
$267,300±$15kHighest 34% below NH |
$236,500±$29kLowest 41% below NH |
| Bennington and Keene 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±$150 13% below NH |
$1,225±$275Lowest 18% below NH |
| Keene and Bennington 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 |
$5,099Lowest 24% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±84.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Sullivan 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest 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 | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | 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.