Compare towns
Keene vs Newmarket vs Hillsborough
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).
Newmarket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Hillsborough has the most homeowners (92.3%).
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 | Newmarket | Hillsborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
9,463 |
5,980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
41.2±1.9Highest 5% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
| Newmarket and Hillsborough 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% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hillsborough and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Hillsborough 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% |
49.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$100,845±$13kHighest about the NH average |
$84,495±$12k 15% below NH |
| Newmarket and Hillsborough 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 |
$455,000±$22kHighest 13% above NH |
$272,300±$16k 32% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$8,734Highest 31% above NH |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Newmarket 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
28 min 6% above NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Newmarket 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #97 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Newmarket School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
9.9 |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.