Compare towns
Keene vs Lee vs Durham
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).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Lee | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
4,576Lowest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Lee and Durham 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 |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
| Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
— | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Keene and Durham 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 |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | 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.