Compare towns
Keene vs Wolfeboro vs Kingston
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).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Kingston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
6,571 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
55.5±5.7 28% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Keene and Wolfeboro 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% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
45%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$94,375±$22k 5% below NH |
$105,330±$12kHighest 6% above NH |
| Kingston and Wolfeboro 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 |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,393±$156Highest 7% below NH |
| Kingston and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$7,906Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Kingston and Keene 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% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.