What stands out worked out from the figures below

Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Keene	Wakefield
People
Population	22,939Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S.	42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Keene and Wakefield 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 U.S.: 35.7%	59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average	$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S.	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S.	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,812Lowest 118% above U.S.	$7,779Highest 149% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Keene and Wakefield 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%	4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 35% below U.S.	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#81 of 120 in NH	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Keene School District	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Keene High School	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.