Compare towns
Keene vs Lyme vs South Hampton
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 people working from home (27.2%).
South Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,710 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
45.1±5.3 4% above NH |
| Lyme and South Hampton 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%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| South Hampton and Lyme 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% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$152,500±$44kHighest 54% above NH |
| South Hampton 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 |
$661,100±$45kHighest 64% above NH |
| South Hampton and Lyme 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 |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,889±$489Highest 27% above NH |
| South Hampton and Lyme 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
88.6%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 |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Lyme School District | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | 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.