Compare towns
Keene vs Pembroke vs Lyme
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).
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k 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 | Pembroke | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
7,438 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Lyme and Pembroke 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% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Lyme 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% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,418±$130Highest 5% below NH |
| Lyme and Keene 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 |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Pembroke 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% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 minHighest 8% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Pembroke 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Pembroke School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Pembroke Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.