Median Income
$69,381
household / year
Median Home Value
$221,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,153
gross / month
Cost of Living
101
national avg = 100

Is Keene, NH a Good Place to Live?

Keene is a small city of 22,907 in New Hampshire, with a median household income of $69,381 and a 2.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: Keene stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Keene is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Keene city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 101.3

Keene's overall cost of living index is 101.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Keene costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric Keene, NH National Avg
Median Home Value $221,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,153 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 51.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $69,381 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Keene's violent crime rate is 179.2 per 100,000 residents — 53% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
179.2 /100k
Property Crime
2172.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Keene is served primarily by Keene School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Keene, NH National Avg
School District Keene School District —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 44.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Keene sees average highs of 30.4°F in January and 81.9°F in July, with 46.1 inches of annual precipitation and 59.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricKeene, NH
Average High — January30.4°F
Average High — July81.9°F
Annual Precipitation46.1"
Annual Snowfall59.8"

Demographics

MetricKeene, NHNational Avg
Population22,907—
Median Age36.138.9
Unemployment Rate2.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time16.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)92.9%59.3%
Black or African American1.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.0%18.9%
Asian0.6%6.3%
Under 1814.4%22.2%
65 and over18.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

West Swanzey, NH 6 mi Marlborough, NH 6 mi Walpole, NH 10 mi Troy, NH 11 mi Putney, VT 11 mi

ZIP Codes in Keene

Keene, NH is covered by 1 ZIP code:

03431

Keene vs Other Cities

Keene, NH vs West Swanzey, NH Keene, NH vs Marlborough, NH Keene, NH vs Walpole, NH Keene, NH vs Troy, NH Keene, NH vs Putney, VT

Frequently Asked Questions

Keene's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts Keene roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $221,400 and median rent is $1,153/month.
Keene's violent crime rate is 179.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2172.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Keene are operated by Keene School District. The district has 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.5:1. 44.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Keene, NH has a population of 22,907, a median household income of $69,381, and an unemployment rate of 2.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Keene averages 30.4°F in January and 81.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.1 inches with about 59.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Keene, NH is covered by 1 ZIP code: 03431.
The population of Keene, New Hampshire is 22,907 with a median age of 36.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Keene: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $221,400, median household income $69,381, crime index 70 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Keene side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.