Compare towns
Keene vs Henniker vs Exeter
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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
6,197Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Henniker 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 |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Henniker School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.