Compare towns

Roxbury vs Townsend vs Keene

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Keene has the most people working from home (15.6%).

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.

MeasureRoxburyTownsendKeene
People
Population
299Lowest
9,100
22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+2.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-1.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.2±17.7Highest
11% above U.S.
40.9±3.3
5% above U.S.
37.6±2.3Lowest
3% below U.S.
Roxbury and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.7%±11.5
U.S.: 22%
21%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.1%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Townsend and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.4%±10.8
U.S.: 17.2%
17.1%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.5%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Keene and Roxbury 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
U.S.: 35.7%
35.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
44.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
13.4%±15.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
13.8%±1.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
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
14% below U.S.
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
$78,445±$8k
about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$323,100±$219k
about the U.S. average
$433,200±$22kHighest
30% above U.S.
$252,500±$12kLowest
24% below U.S.
Townsend and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,469±$313Highest
4% above U.S.
$1,342±$68Lowest
5% below U.S.
Townsend and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,787Lowest
86% above U.S.
$6,031
93% above U.S.
$6,812Highest
118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.5%±6.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Townsend 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
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
10.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%
U.S.: 65.2%
55.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969
11 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 min
21% below U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
Work from home
0.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
15.6%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Keene and Townsend 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 — #136 of 282 in MA #81 of 120 in NH
School district — North Middlesex Keene School District
High school in town — North Middlesex Regional Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.1Highest
12.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.