Compare towns
Keene vs Lee vs Pelham
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%).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
4,576Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
| Lee and Pelham 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%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Lee 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest 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% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
| Pelham 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 |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
| Pelham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
— | $1,425±$88Highest 4% below NH |
| Pelham 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 |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.