Compare towns
Keene vs Hartford vs Durham vs Roxbury
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).
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).
Durham has the highest household income ($124k).
Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Hartford | Durham | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
10,736 |
15,080 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
43.2±17.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±11.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±10.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Keene 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% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$323,100±$219k about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Roxbury 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. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Durham and Keene 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. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,787 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Hartford School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Hartford High School | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
9.6Lowest |
12.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.