Compare towns
Keene vs Eliot vs Plainfield
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 most affordable homes ($253k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% 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 | Eliot | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
7,146 |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Plainfield 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Plainfield 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% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 118% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| 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.