Compare towns
Keene vs Hanover vs Meredith
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 affordable homes ($253k median).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
11,685 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hanover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Meredith 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% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Meredith 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Hanover High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.