Compare towns
Keene vs Portsmouth vs Exeter
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
22,545 |
16,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter 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 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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 |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter 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 |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter 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 NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 18 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Portsmouth High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.4Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.