What stands out worked out from the figures below

Keene has the most people working from home (15.6%).

Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Keene	Bridgewater
People
Population	22,939Highest	1,169Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH	58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH
Kids under 18	14.1%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2%	10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Keene and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.1%Highest NH: 40.6%	32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6%	1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH	$82,361±$9kHighest 17% below NH
	Bridgewater 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±$12kLowest 37% below NH	$398,600±$65kHighest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH	$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH
	Keene and Bridgewater 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	$2,823Lowest 58% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2%	32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Keene and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.1%Lowest NH: 7.2%	11.9%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%	79.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH	1979Highest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below NH	30 minHighest 13% above NH
Work from home	15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8%	8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#81 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Keene School District	Newfound Area 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

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.