Compare towns
Keene vs Durham vs Durham vs Roxbury
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Durham | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
10,681 |
15,080 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
43.2±17.7Highest about the NH average |
| Roxbury and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Roxbury 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Durham and Durham 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 |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$323,100±$219k 20% below NH |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
— |
| Durham and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,787Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Durham 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% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
21 minHighest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | — | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.