What stands out worked out from the figures below

Nashua has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).

Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).

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	Nashua	Keene
People
Population	91,294Highest	22,939Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.6%Highest NH: +4.6%	-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	40±1.3Highest 8% below NH	37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH
	Nashua and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.2Highest NH: 18.2%	14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	16.9%±1Lowest NH: 20.1%	19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Keene and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	44.1%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±0.6Lowest NH: 6%	13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,326±$5kHighest about the NH average	$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$403,900±$11kHighest about the NH average	$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH	$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,799Lowest about the NH average	$6,812Highest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.8%±4.2Highest NH: 48.2%	44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Nashua and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	10.1%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.8%Highest NH: 72.8%	55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH	1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the NH average	17 minLowest 36% below NH
Work from home	17.4%±1.6Highest NH: 16.8%	15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Nashua 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	#67 of 120 in NH	#81 of 120 in NH
School district	Nashua School District	Keene School District
High school in town	Nashua High School South	Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	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.