Compare towns
Keene vs Henniker vs Lebanon
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%).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
6,197Lowest |
14,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
38.9±3.1Highest 10% below NH |
| Lebanon and Keene 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%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Henniker and Lebanon 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% |
21.4%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lebanon 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$98,147±$10kHighest about the NH average |
| Lebanon 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 |
$385,400±$29kHighest 4% below NH |
| Lebanon and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Henniker 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% |
7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below NH |
20 minHighest 24% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Henniker School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.