Compare towns
Keene vs Lee vs Hanover vs Roxbury
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 kids (21.9% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Roxbury has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Hanover | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
4,576 |
11,685 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
43.2±17.7Highest about the NH average |
| Roxbury and Lee 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% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Roxbury 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% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Hanover 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% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Hanover and Lee 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 |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$323,100±$219k 20% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
— | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,787Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
20 min 27% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Hanover 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.