Compare towns
Newmarket vs Hanover vs Kensington 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
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Kensington has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Newmarket | Hanover | Kensington | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463 |
11,685 |
2,009Lowest |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
43.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
| Kensington and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
17.1%±2.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Kensington and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±2.9 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.7% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
48.5% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$165,083±$18k 67% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
| Hanover and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$657,700±$47k 63% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,813±$627 22% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
| Hanover and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734 31% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,637 45% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.2%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Kensington 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Kensington School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Hanover High School | None in town | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
10.7 |
— | 12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.