What stands out worked out from the figures below

Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Keene	Exeter
People
Population	22,939Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH	45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH
Kids under 18	14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2%	17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2%
	Exeter and Keene 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%	24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH	$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH	$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,812Lowest about the NH average	$8,814Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2%	59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Exeter 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 NH: 7.2%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%	69.1%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH	1979Highest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below NH	25 minHighest 7% below NH
Work from home	15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8%	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%
	Exeter 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	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Keene School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Keene High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	59 photos →

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.