Compare towns
Keene vs Marlborough vs Chatham
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 people working from home (15.6%).
Marlborough has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Chatham has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
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 | Marlborough | Chatham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
2,207 |
430Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
46±9.2 6% above NH |
48.3±8.6Highest 12% above NH |
| Chatham and Marlborough 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% |
23.5%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±7.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Marlborough and Chatham 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% |
23.7%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±10Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Chatham and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.5% NH: 40.6% |
38.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.8%±3.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kHighest 21% below NH |
$69,032±$9k 30% below NH |
$66,042±$19kLowest 33% below NH |
| Keene and Marlborough 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 |
$267,200±$35k 34% below NH |
$362,900±$42kHighest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
$1,133±$323Lowest 24% below NH |
— |
| Keene and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Highest about the NH average |
$6,362 5% below NH |
$3,690Lowest 45% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±25.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Marlborough and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
13.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
68.1% NH: 72.8% |
82.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 21% below NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.3%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
7.3%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Marlborough 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 | Marlborough 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.