Compare towns
Keene vs Henniker vs Hanover vs Milford
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%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Hanover | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
6,197Lowest |
11,685 |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Highest 13% below NH |
31.1±6.1 28% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
| Keene and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover 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% NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Milford 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% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Henniker School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Hanover High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.