Compare towns
Keene vs Benson vs Roxbury
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 most renters (44.9% rent).
Benson has the oldest population (median age 51.9).
Roxbury has the most expensive homes ($323k 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 | Benson | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
784 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
51.9±9.4Highest 33% above U.S. |
43.2±17.7 11% above U.S. |
| Benson and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±11.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Benson and Roxbury 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% |
26.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Keene and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$78,625±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Benson 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±$12k 24% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$323,100±$219kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Roxbury 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 5% below U.S. |
$1,113±$170Lowest 21% below U.S. |
— |
| Keene and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,125Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$5,787 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Benson and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson and Keene 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 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.