What stands out worked out from the figures below

Kingston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).

Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).

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	Kingston	Keene
People
Population	6,275Lowest	22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6%	-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH	37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH
Kids under 18	13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2%	14.1%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2%
	Keene and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1%	19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Kingston and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	44.1%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%	13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$105,330±$12kHighest 6% above NH	$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH	$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,393±$156Highest 7% below NH	$1,342±$68Lowest 10% 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	$7,906Highest 19% above NH	$6,812Lowest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±46.4Highest NH: 48.2%	44.5%±6.1Lowest 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	2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2%	10.1%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Highest NH: 72.8%	55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above NH	17 minLowest 36% below NH
Work from home	15.7%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8%	15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Kingston 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	#78 of 120 in NH	#81 of 120 in NH
School district	Sanborn Regional School District	Keene School District
High school in town	Sanborn Regional High School	Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	12.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.