Compare towns
Keene vs Epping vs Francestown
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Francestown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Epping | Francestown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
7,430 |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
51.2±4.5Highest 18% above NH |
| Francestown and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Francestown and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.7%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Francestown 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% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$104,220±$7kHighest 5% above NH |
$104,063±$16k 5% above NH |
| Epping and Francestown 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 |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$408,200±$34k about the NH average |
| Epping and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,358±$256 9% below NH |
| Epping and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$8,014Highest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.7%±77 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Francestown 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
42 minHighest 57% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Francestown and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Epping School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.