Compare towns
Keene vs Plymouth 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 people working from home (15.6%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Swanzey has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
6,601Lowest |
7,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Swanzey and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Swanzey and Keene 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% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$81,595±$11kHighest 18% below NH |
| 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±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$292,400±$22kHighest 27% below NH |
$259,200±$15k 36% below NH |
| Plymouth and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,508±$303Highest about the NH average |
| 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 about the NH average |
$6,288 6% below NH |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
71.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
18 min 31% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Plymouth 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Monadnock Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.