Compare towns
Keene vs Plainfield vs Concord vs Westmoreland
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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Westmoreland has the oldest population (median age 55.3).
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 | Plainfield | Concord | Westmoreland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939 |
2,522 |
44,375Highest |
2,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3% NH: +4.6% |
-9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
55.3±2.2Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Concord 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% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
47.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
$104,444±$28k 5% above NH |
| Plainfield and Westmoreland 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 |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$351,800±$12k 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,354±$280 9% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$7,227 8% above NH |
$6,643Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
32.5%±23.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Keene and Concord 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% |
5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.9% NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
89.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
23 minHighest 14% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Plainfield School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Westmoreland School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Concord High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.