Compare towns
Keene vs Castleton 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%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
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 | Keene | Castleton | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
4,453Lowest |
7,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
50±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Swanzey 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% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Swanzey and Castleton 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% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% 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. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% 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. |
$1,137±$195Lowest 20% 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. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,558 78% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #39 of 70 in VT | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | 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.