Compare towns
Keene vs Ogunquit vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wakefield has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939 |
1,379Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
— | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 118% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Keene and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Keene School District | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Keene High School | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.