Compare towns
Roxbury vs Dover vs Keene vs Nelson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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.
| Measure | Roxbury | Dover | Keene | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 299Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,939 |
648 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.2±17.7Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
| Roxbury and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±11.5 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±10.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.4%±15.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Keene and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$99,792±$23kHighest about the NH average |
| Nelson and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,100±$219k 20% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$340,900±$49k 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,787 13% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$6,812 about the NH average |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Keene School District | Nelson School District |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.