Compare towns
Keene vs Brattleboro vs Dover vs Sullivan
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Brattleboro has the most kids (19% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Sullivan has the most homeowners (93.6%).
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 | Brattleboro | Dover | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939 |
12,122 |
33,364Highest |
687Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.6±6.5Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Sullivan and Brattleboro 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% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Dover 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% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$106,667±$20kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Sullivan and Dover 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. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$236,500±$29kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,225±$275 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 118% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,099Lowest 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±84.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Brattleboro 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Dover School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Brattleboro Union High School | Dover Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
9.0Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.