Compare towns
Keene vs Lyndeborough vs Hampton Beach
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).
Lyndeborough has the most homeowners (92.4%).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Lyndeborough | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,616Lowest |
2,605 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
50±3.2 15% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyndeborough and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.1% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
$82,557±$17k 17% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$390,900±$26k about the NH average |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,482±$457Highest about the NH average |
$1,375±$130 8% below NH |
| Lyndeborough and Hampton Beach 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 |
$7,133Highest 7% above NH |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Lyndeborough 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% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative 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.