Compare towns
Keene vs Exeter vs Bartlett vs Sullivan
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).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Bartlett has the oldest population (median age 57.4).
Sullivan has the most homeowners (93.6%).
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 | Exeter | Bartlett | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
16,151 |
3,281 |
687Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
57.4±4.7Highest 33% above NH |
46.6±6.5 8% above NH |
| Bartlett and Sullivan 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% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
7.5%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Sullivan 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%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
36.1%±9.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bartlett and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.4% NH: 40.6% |
28.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0.1%±0.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$59,754±$9kLowest 40% below NH |
$106,667±$20k 8% above NH |
| Exeter and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12k 37% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$371,400±$78k 8% below NH |
$236,500±$29kLowest 41% below NH |
| Exeter and Bartlett 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 |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,676±$97 12% above NH |
$1,225±$275Lowest 18% below NH |
| Exeter and Bartlett 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 |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$2,512Lowest 62% below NH |
$5,099 24% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
68.5%±37.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±84.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bartlett and Exeter 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
10.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
79% NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±7.1 NH: 16.8% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest 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 | #74 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bartlett School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Exeter High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.