Compare towns
Roxbury vs Keene vs Marlborough 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%).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Marlborough has the oldest population (median age 46).
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 | Keene | Marlborough | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 299Lowest |
22,939Highest |
2,207 |
648 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.2±17.7 about the NH average |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
46±9.2Highest 6% above NH |
42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
| Marlborough 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.7 NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Marlborough 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% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
23.7%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson and Marlborough 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% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
39.5% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.4%±15.8 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.7 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±$14k 30% below NH |
$78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$69,032±$9kLowest 30% below NH |
$99,792±$23kHighest about the NH average |
| Nelson and Keene 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 |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$267,200±$35k 34% below NH |
$340,900±$49kHighest 15% below NH |
| Nelson and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
$1,133±$323Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,203±$243 19% below NH |
| Keene and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,787 13% below NH |
$6,812Highest about the NH average |
$6,362 5% below NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±25.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Marlborough 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% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
13.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
68.1% NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 21% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
12.3%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #81 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Keene School District | Marlborough School District | Nelson School District |
| High school in town | — | Keene High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— | — |
| 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.