Compare towns
Keene vs New Castle 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).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Newfields has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
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 | New Castle | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
827Lowest |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3% NH: +4.6% |
+5.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
68.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±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 |
$176,953±$29k 79% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Newfields and New Castle 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 |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$646,400±$34k 61% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,875±$323 26% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,509 28% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest 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% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle and Newfields 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 | New Castle 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.