Compare towns
Keene vs Portsmouth vs Auburn
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).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Portsmouth | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
22,545 |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Keene 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% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Portsmouth 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 |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$8,092Highest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth 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 NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 18 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Portsmouth School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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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.