Compare towns
Keene vs Madbury vs Newfields
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).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Newfields has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Madbury | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
2,203 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
44.1±1.8Highest about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2 NH: 6% |
| Keene and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
| Newfields and Madbury 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Newfields 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% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Newfields 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.