Compare towns
Keene vs Derry vs Hampton
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).
Derry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Hampton has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Derry | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939 |
34,116Highest |
10,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
40.3±1.6 7% below NH |
51.2±1.7Highest 18% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.9%±3.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$108,944±$7kHighest 10% above NH |
$97,163±$4k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$545,300±$63kHighest 35% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,547±$138 4% above NH |
$1,654±$93Highest 11% above NH |
| Hampton and Derry 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 |
$8,103Highest 22% above NH |
$6,872 3% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±13.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Hampton 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
70.2% NH: 72.8% |
74.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton and Derry 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #31 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Pinkerton Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
13.9Highest |
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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.