Compare towns
Keene vs Dover vs St. Albans
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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Dover | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939 |
33,364Highest |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.7±2Highest about the U.S. average |
| St. Albans 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Keene and Dover 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% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 118% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Dover 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% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Keene School District | Dover School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Dover Senior High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.