Compare towns
Keene vs Bow vs Dover vs Milford
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).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Milford has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
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 | Bow | Dover | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939 |
8,335Lowest |
33,364Highest |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
| Bow and Keene 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% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH |
| Milford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Milford 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% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Dover 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Bow School District | Dover School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.8Highest |
12.7 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.