Compare towns
Bath vs Lempster vs Swanzey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Lempster has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Swanzey has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
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.
| Measure | Bath | Lempster | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
953Lowest |
7,398Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% NH: +4.6% |
-3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Lowest 12% above NH |
50.8±7.2Highest 17% above NH |
50±3.1 15% above NH |
| Lempster and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.4%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bath and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
28.5% NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
| Lempster and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$86,607±$12kHighest 13% below NH |
$81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
| Lempster and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$241,900±$29k 40% below NH |
$259,200±$15kHighest 36% below NH |
| Swanzey and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Lowest 4% below NH |
— | $1,508±$303Highest about the NH average |
| Swanzey and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$4,558 32% below NH |
$5,558Highest 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Lempster and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% NH: 72.8% |
98.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
37 minHighest 40% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
5%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bath and Swanzey 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 | — | — | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bath School District | Lempster School District | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Monadnock Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.