Compare towns
Keene vs Henniker vs Madbury
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%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% 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 | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
6,197 |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
37.7±2.1Highest 13% below NH |
| Madbury 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%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Henniker 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% |
52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,574±$759Highest 6% above NH |
| Madbury and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest 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% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Henniker 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 | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Henniker School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| 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.