Keene is an energetic community that provides services, programs, and resources for a much greater population than the residents of the City alone. Although the conveniences and attractions of large metropolitan areas are close at hand, the community maintains a solidly residential working-class character, complemented by a landscape of rural areas, farms, and open space. The heart of the community is its vibrant, yet historic, downtown core. In an age when many communities are losing their “sense of place,” Keene has a firm sense of its identity, built on a foundation of the past and a clear vision of the future.

Our community possesses the ability to address tough questions that often are without simple answers. Recognizing that nearly every solution has a trade-off, the community continually embraces the future through its proactive efforts. All during the last comprehensive master planning project, participants pointed to each other—the people of Keene and the Monadnock Region—as the community’s single greatest attribute. By working together to solve common problems and shared opportunities, residents not only have invested in the community, but in themselves.

Keene has a reputation for using new and creative approaches to solving community issues. From early decisions on placement of the community meetinghouse and planting elm trees in Central Square to addressing contemporary issues Keene continues to be recognized within the region, state, nation, and in other places of the world for its innovative, practical solutions. The 21st century has brought a strong movement in Keene for sustainability, leading the City to reduce carbon emissions, maintain a healthy community, and foster the return of local agriculture.

Keene has earned a number of honors:

• "Best Places for Bicycling in NH," NH Magazine says "it doesn't get much better than Keene," 2021
   
• Better Sports for Kids Quality Program Provider for 2020/21, by National Alliance for Youth Sports, 2020/21
   
• Keene State named #1 College in New Hampshire for Affordability and Employment, by MSN.com, 2020.  Keene State College also earned rankings among regional colleges in the North of #10 in Best Schools, #5 in Most Innovative Schools, and #7 in Best Value Schools, U.S. News and World Report, 2020.
   
• New Hampshire’s representative for “Charming Main Streets Across the USA” (USAToday.com, 2018).
   
• Received Industrial Pretreatment Program Excellence Award by the Unites States Environmental Protection Agency (2018)

• Ranked 31st in the country as “Best Cities for Summer Internships” in 2017 by GoodCall.

• Awarded “Playful City USA” designation for making sure children have access to places to play, by KaBOOM!, a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization, 2017.

• Number 7 in “America’s Ten Fittest Small Towns” by The Active Times, 2015.

• “Top Ten Most Beautiful Towns in New Hampshire” from TheCultureTrip.com, 2015.

• “Bicycle-Friendly Community” from the League of American Bicyclists, 2015.

• “Honor Award” from Plan New Hampshire as an example of compact, mixed-use development for the former railroad land development in downtown, 2014.

• “Engineering Excellence Award” from the American Council of Engineering Companies for the Keene micro-turbine project, epitomizing quality, innovation, value and client satisfaction, 2013.

• “Top Ten Great Public Spaces” from the American Planning Association for Central Square, 2009.

• Tied for tenth as “Best Small City in the East” by Kevin Heubusch in The New Rating Guide to Life in America’s Small Cities, with ratings that include climate, diversions, economics, education, health care, housing, safety, and transportation.

• Recognized by the White House as a “Preserve America” community that protects and celebrates its heritage, uses it historic assets for economic development and community revitalization, and encourages people to experience and appreciate local historical resources through education and heritage tourism programs.

• One of the “10 Great Places to Raise a Family,” Parenting magazine’s 10th anniversary issue.

• Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, demonstrating the Keene Police Department’s commitment to providing professional and progressive police services to the community, continuously since March 2013

• Best drinking water in New Hampshire, by Granite State Water Association, 2021.

• #32 of 65 "Charming American Towns You Haven't Heard of But Should Visit ASAP", but HouseBeautiful.com, 2021.

• Ranked by travelers Among America’s 100 Most Charming Main Streets (Mixbook, April 2024)

The City's mission is to provide services and amenities that enhance the quality of life for those who live, learn, work in, and enjoy the City of Keene.  We all contribute to that mission as a diverse team of individuals who bring a variety of skills and talents to the many service-driven areas of municipal government.

As an organization, the only way we can be successful in providing quality services to the public in a sustainable manner is by working together.  Collaboration and cooperation among departments make us a strong team.  Collaboration and cooperation with organizations in the community make us a strong city.  Each and every member of our team—across all departments—is vital to our success.

Our commitment to assuring outstanding public service is based on the values of VOICE all the time, every day, in everything we do.  The City’s values are to:

Value everyone – by respecting our variety and diversity and by demonstrating with our work ethic our commitment to excellent public service.

Obtain public input – to measure citizens’ satisfaction and to determine community values and spending priorities.

Inform the public – about, and promote awareness of, City services and activities.

Continue to assess – the condition of and the need for City facilities and infrastructure to ensure they meet the needs of the community, as well as assess our processes, procedures, and support systems.

Establish priorities – by setting criteria to balance practicality with limited resources.

Each of us brings something to the table in providing excellent public service for the betterment of our community.

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