Compare towns
Keene vs Appleton vs Swanzey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Swanzey has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Appleton | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,360Lowest |
7,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
50±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Swanzey and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Swanzey and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$81,595±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Swanzey and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$259,200±$15kHighest 22% below U.S. |
| Swanzey and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,508±$303Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Swanzey and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$5,558 78% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Keene and Appleton 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | — | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Appleton Public Schools | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Monadnock Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.