Compare towns
Keene vs Exeter vs Wilder vs Milford
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 renters (44.9% rent).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Wilder | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
16,151 |
3,087Lowest |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
36.8±2.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2%Lowest 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% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$97,768±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Milford 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. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$398,800±$20k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,661±$126 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Milford 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. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$7,522 141% 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% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Milford 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9% 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. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 35% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Exeter High School | — | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
12.1 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.