Compare towns
Keene vs Pembroke vs Stratham
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).
Stratham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
7,438Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Pembroke and Stratham 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% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Stratham and Keene 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% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
$151,998±$20kHighest 53% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham 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% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Pembroke School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Pembroke Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
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| 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.