Compare towns
Keene vs Lyme vs Newington 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
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Newington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Swanzey has the oldest population (median age 50).
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 | Lyme | Newington | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,710 |
939Lowest |
7,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
48.7±10.1 12% above NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
| Swanzey and Newington 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% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme 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 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Lyme 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% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$259,200±$15k 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,508±$303 about the NH average |
| Newington and Swanzey 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,081 9% below NH |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44 NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Newington 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 120 in NH | — | — | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Lyme School District | Newington School District | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | None in town | Monadnock Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
— | — | 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.