Compare towns
Keene vs Lyme vs Dover 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 affordable homes ($253k median).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Lyme | Dover | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939 |
1,710 |
33,364Highest |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
43.2±17.7 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Roxbury 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% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Dover 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8 NH: 6% |
| Keene and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$323,100±$219k 20% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
— |
| Dover and Lyme 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$5,787Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Dover 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% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older 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 |
21 min 22% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Lyme School District | Dover School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.