Compare towns
Keene vs Norwich vs Lyme 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 renters (44.9% rent).
Norwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Norwich | Lyme | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
3,640 |
1,710Lowest |
7,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
40.8±3.2 5% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
50±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Swanzey and Lyme 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% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$81,595±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Norwich 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 24% below U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$259,200±$15k 22% below U.S. |
| Lyme and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,508±$303Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Swanzey and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 118% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,558Lowest 78% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Norwich 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | — | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Norwich School District | Lyme 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 |
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.