Compare towns

Roxbury vs Exeter vs Orange 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

Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
Orange has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).

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.

MeasureRoxburyExeterOrangeKeene
People
Population
299Lowest
16,151
320
22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+12.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
—
-1.5%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
43.2±17.7
about the NH average
45.8±2.3Highest
6% above NH
41.3±9.1
5% below NH
37.6±2.3Lowest
13% below NH
Exeter and Roxbury 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%
17%±2.7
NH: 18.2%
20.6%±5.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
14.1%±1.6Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Orange and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.4%±10.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
24.4%±2.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
20%±5
NH: 20.1%
19.5%±1.8
NH: 20.1%
Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
30.6%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
59.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
37.2%
NH: 40.6%
44.1%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
13.4%±15.8
NH: 6%
6.1%±1.8
NH: 6%
4.7%±3.7Lowest
NH: 6%
13.8%±1.4Highest
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
$110,346±$13k
11% above NH
$118,750±$39kHighest
20% above NH
$78,445±$8k
21% below NH
Orange and Exeter 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
$456,600±$21kHighest
13% above NH
$302,600±$35k
25% below NH
$252,500±$12kLowest
37% below NH
Exeter and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,856±$223Highest
24% above NH
—
$1,342±$68Lowest
10% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,787
13% below NH
$8,814Highest
32% above NH
$5,132Lowest
23% below NH
$6,812
about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
59%±11.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
0%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
44.5%±6.1
NH: 48.2%
Exeter and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.7%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
4.7%
NH: 7.2%
9.4%
NH: 7.2%
10.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.5%
NH: 72.8%
69.1%
NH: 72.8%
97.5%Highest
NH: 72.8%
55.1%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969
10 yrs older than NH
1979
same as NH
1986Highest
7 yrs newer than NH
1961Lowest
18 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 min
22% below NH
25 min
7% below NH
28 minHighest
5% above NH
17 minLowest
36% below NH
Work from home
0.7%±1.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
19.9%±3.7
NH: 16.8%
20.8%±8.9Highest
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±2.7
NH: 16.8%
Orange and Exeter 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 — #22 of 120 in NH — #81 of 120 in NH
School district — Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District — Keene School District
High school in town — Exeter High School — Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.1Lowest
—
12.3Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.