Compare towns
Keene vs Concord vs Sandown
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).
Sandown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Concord | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939 |
44,375Highest |
6,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
40.8±3.7Highest 6% below NH |
| Sandown and Concord 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% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Concord 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% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Concord 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% |
42.3% NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
$135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$483,400±$44kHighest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
| Sandown and Concord 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 |
$7,227 8% above NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
82.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Concord High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
13.0Highest |
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| 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.