Compare towns
Milford vs Henniker vs Keene
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Milford | Henniker | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,337 |
6,197Lowest |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
37.6±2.3Highest 13% below NH |
| Keene and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,768±$14kHighest about the NH average |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
| Milford and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,800±$20kHighest about the NH average |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
| Milford and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,522 13% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Milford and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
20 min 24% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #55 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Milford School District | Henniker School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Milford High School | None in town | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| 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.