Compare towns
Lebanon vs Bow vs Keene vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Hartford has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
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 | Lebanon | Bow | Keene | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,999 |
8,335Lowest |
22,939Highest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Lebanon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,149 161% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon and Bow 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Lebanon School District | Bow School District | Keene School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Lebanon High School | Bow High School | Keene High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
12.8Highest |
12.3 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.