Compare towns
Keene vs Durham vs Plymouth
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 oldest population (median age 37.6).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Plymouth has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
15,080 |
4,969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Highest 13% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
22.8±0.9 47% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Keene and Plymouth 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% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$89,500±$32k 10% below NH |
| Durham and Plymouth 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 |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$294,400±$28k 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
$1,296±$295Lowest 13% 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 |
$6,483Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below NH |
19 minHighest 27% below NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±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 | #47 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.