Compare towns
Keene vs Lyme vs Hanover
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 kids (19.5% under 18).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Lyme | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,710Lowest |
8,479 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
| Hanover and Lyme 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 |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Lyme 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 minHighest 22% below NH |
19 min 29% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Lyme 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 | 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.