Compare towns
Keene vs Plaistow vs Kittery
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).
Plaistow has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Plaistow | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
7,861Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
40.1±3.7 3% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Plaistow and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$108,317±$13kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Plaistow and Kittery 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. |
$404,500±$32k 22% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 118% above U.S. |
$7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plaistow and Keene 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Keene School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Timberlane Regional High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.4 |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.