Compare towns
Amherst vs Swanzey vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Swanzey has the most renters (28.3% rent).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Amherst | Swanzey | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
7,398 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
43.2±17.7Lowest about the NH average |
| Swanzey and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Swanzey and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
30.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Roxbury and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH |
$323,100±$219k 20% below NH |
| Amherst and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,508±$303Highest about the NH average |
— |
| Swanzey and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
$5,787 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4 NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 120 in NH | #102 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Monadnock Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Monadnock Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.