Compare towns
Keene vs Portsmouth vs Eliot
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).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Portsmouth | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
22,545 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Eliot 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. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Keene School District | Portsmouth School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| 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 |
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.