Compare towns
Keene vs Madbury vs Sullivan
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 renters (44.9% rent).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Sullivan has the oldest population (median age 46.6).
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 | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
2,203 |
687Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
46.6±6.5Highest 8% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sullivan and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$106,667±$20k 8% above NH |
| Madbury and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12k 37% below NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
$236,500±$29kLowest 41% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,574±$759Highest 6% above NH |
$1,225±$275Lowest 18% below NH |
| Madbury and Keene 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 |
$5,099Lowest 24% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±84.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Sullivan 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% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Madbury 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 | — | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Oyster River Coop 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.