Compare towns
Keene vs Lyme vs Swanzey vs Westmoreland
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
Westmoreland has the most homeowners (89.3%).
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 | Swanzey | Westmoreland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
1,710Lowest |
7,398 |
2,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6% NH: +4.6% |
-9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
50±3.1 15% above NH |
55.3±2.2Highest 28% above NH |
| Westmoreland and Swanzey 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% |
18%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
14.5%±3.4 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% |
24.2%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Westmoreland 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% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
47.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
$104,444±$28k 5% above NH |
| Lyme and Westmoreland 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±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$259,200±$15k 36% below NH |
$351,800±$12k 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,508±$303Highest about the NH average |
$1,354±$280 9% below NH |
| Swanzey and Lyme 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 |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
$6,643 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.5%±23.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Lyme 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
89.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6.3 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 | Monadnock Regional School District | Westmoreland School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Monadnock Regional High School | None in town |
| 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.