Compare towns
Keene vs Royalton vs Sharon
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Royalton | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
2,752 |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
43.9±10.1 13% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Royalton 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% |
22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$103,938±$24kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
| Royalton and Sharon 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. |
$263,200±$73k 21% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,040±$391Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
| Sharon and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,675Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.7%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Keene and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Royalton 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Keene School District | White River Unified School District #79 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | White River Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.