Compare towns
Keene vs Exeter vs Williston vs Swanzey
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 highest household income ($110k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Swanzey has the oldest population (median age 50).
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 | Williston | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
16,151 |
10,144 |
7,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
50±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Swanzey 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%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Swanzey 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%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Swanzey 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2%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% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±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. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$81,595±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Williston 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±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$259,200±$15k 22% below U.S. |
| Williston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,508±$303 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston 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. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,558Lowest 78% 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% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Swanzey 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Monadnock Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.1Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.