What stands out worked out from the figures below

York has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).

Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).

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	York	Keene
People
Population	13,986Lowest	22,939Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.5±5.2Highest 27% above U.S.	37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	27.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,250±$25kHighest 50% above U.S.	$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S.	$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,490±$336Highest 5% above U.S.	$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S.
	York and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,658Lowest 49% above U.S.	$6,812Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	York and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 11% below U.S.	17 minLowest 35% below U.S.
Work from home	26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#13 of 133 in ME	#81 of 120 in NH
School district	York Public Schools	Keene School District
High school in town	York High School	Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Lowest	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.