Compare towns
Keene vs Lee vs Allenstown
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 renters (44.9% rent).
Lee has the most expensive homes ($481k median).
Allenstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
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 | Lee | Allenstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
4,576Lowest |
4,743 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
39.4±4.7 9% below NH |
| Lee and Allenstown 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% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.9%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Allenstown 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% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee 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% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
19.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
0.7%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$72,500±$21kLowest 27% below NH |
| Lee and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12k 37% below NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$243,600±$69kLowest 39% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
— | $1,281±$397Lowest 14% below NH |
| Keene and Allenstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$4,098Lowest 39% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
57.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Allenstown 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% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Allenstown 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 | 10 photos → | 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.