Compare towns

Keene vs Exeter vs Pomfret

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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Pomfret has the most people working from home (30.3%).

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.

MeasureKeeneExeterPomfret
People
Population
22,939Highest
16,151
908Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+12.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.6±2.3Lowest
3% below U.S.
45.8±2.3
18% above U.S.
53.4±12.1Highest
37% above U.S.
Pomfret and Exeter 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%
17%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.4%±6
U.S.: 22%
Exeter and Pomfret 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%
24.4%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
29.5%±6.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Pomfret 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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
59.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
58%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
13.8%±1.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.1%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
1.4%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$78,445±$8kLowest
about the U.S. average
$110,346±$13kHighest
37% above U.S.
$84,229±$8k
4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$252,500±$12kLowest
24% below U.S.
$456,600±$21kHighest
37% above U.S.
$399,200±$144k
20% above U.S.
Exeter and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,342±$68
5% below U.S.
$1,856±$223Highest
31% above U.S.
$1,170±$98Lowest
17% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,812
118% above U.S.
$8,814Highest
183% above U.S.
$6,722Lowest
116% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.5%±6.1
U.S.: 51.1%
59%±11.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
24%±22.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
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
U.S.: 12.5%
4.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
55.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
69.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
81.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1970
10 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
25 minHighest
6% below U.S.
24 min
11% below U.S.
Work from home
15.6%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.9%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
30.3%±10.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Pomfret and Exeter 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 Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76
High school in town Keene High School Exeter High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.3Highest
12.1Lowest
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On TownTapestry
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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.