Compare towns
Marlborough vs Keene vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marlborough has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Orange has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Marlborough | Keene | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,207 |
22,939Highest |
320Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46±9.2Highest 6% above NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
41.3±9.1 5% below NH |
| Marlborough and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Marlborough and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±1.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Marlborough and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,032±$9kLowest 30% below NH |
$78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
| Orange and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,200±$35k 34% below NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$302,600±$35kHighest 25% below NH |
| Orange and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$323Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
— |
| Keene and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,362 5% below NH |
$6,812Highest about the NH average |
$5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±25.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Marlborough and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
9.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.1% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
28 minHighest 5% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.3%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Orange 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Marlborough School District | Keene School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| 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.