Compare towns
Keene vs Dover vs Thornton
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).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Thornton has the most homeowners (88.3%).
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 | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939 |
33,364Highest |
2,799Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Keene 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
$90,022±$17k 9% below NH |
| Dover and Thornton 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 |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$351,900±$20k 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,270±$428Lowest 15% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Dover 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% |
8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton and Dover 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 | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Dover School District | Thornton School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
12.7Highest |
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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.