What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rockland has the most people working from home (22.1%).

Keene has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).

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	Rockland	Keene
People
Population	7,035Lowest	22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.3±6Highest 27% above U.S.	37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Rockland and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Rockland and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,533±$6kLowest 30% below U.S.	$78,445±$8kHighest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,800±$38kLowest 26% below U.S.	$252,500±$12kHighest 24% below U.S.
	Keene and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,092±$105Lowest 23% below U.S.	$1,342±$68Highest 5% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,059Lowest 30% above U.S.	$6,812Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Rockland and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1948Lowest 32 yrs older than U.S.	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	12 minLowest 53% below U.S.	17 minHighest 35% below U.S.
Work from home	22.1%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Rockland 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	#96 of 133 in ME	#81 of 120 in NH
School district	Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13	Keene School District
High school in town	Oceanside High School	Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	12.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.