Compare towns
Keene vs 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
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Swanzey has the oldest population (median age 50).
Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Keene | Amherst | Swanzey | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
11,861 |
7,398 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
43.2±17.7 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 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5 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+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
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+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
30.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8 NH: 6% |
| Keene and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$259,200±$15k 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 | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,462±$256 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 | $6,812 about the NH average |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
$5,787 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #102 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Monadnock Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Monadnock Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.