Compare towns
Keene vs Grantham vs Thornton
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 most renters (44.9% rent).
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
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 | Grantham | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
3,465 |
2,799Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
50.4±7.5 16% above NH |
51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
| Thornton and Grantham 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% |
19.1%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Grantham and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17%±6.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Thornton 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 NH: 40.6% |
59.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$106,403±$54kHighest 7% above NH |
$90,022±$17k 9% below NH |
| Grantham and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$343,100±$39k 15% below NH |
$351,900±$20kHighest 13% below NH |
| Thornton and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
— | $1,270±$428Lowest 15% below NH |
| Keene and Thornton 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 |
$7,605Highest 14% above NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
— | 57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton 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 NH: 7.2% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 min 16% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±6.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | #6 of 120 in NH | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Grantham School District | Thornton School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.