Compare towns
Keene vs Exeter vs Essex Junction
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).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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.
| Measure | Keene | Exeter | Essex Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
16,151 |
10,803Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
39.3±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Essex Junction and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$89,257±$16k 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Essex Junction 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$407,500±$20k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,544±$135 9% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Essex Junction 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,797Lowest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Essex Junction and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Essex Junction 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 | #14 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Keene School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Exeter High School | Essex High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
12.1 |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.