Compare towns
Keene vs White River Junction vs Bow
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).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | White River Junction | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
3,364Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Bow and Keene 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% |
17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Keene and Bow 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% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,222±$216Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow and Keene 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. |
$5,651Lowest 81% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Keene and White River Junction 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 35% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and White River Junction 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | — | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | — | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.