Compare towns
Keene vs Milford vs Exeter
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Milford has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Milford | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
8,956Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.3% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
36.7±3.7Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.2%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Exeter 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% |
18.1%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$78,684±$11k 21% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$357,800±$16k 11% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,557±$120 4% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Milford 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 |
$6,978 5% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Milford 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% |
5.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
59.4% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%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 |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
12.1%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Keene 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 | #55 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.