Compare towns
Keene vs Sunapee 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%).
Sunapee has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Sunapee | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
3,416Lowest |
7,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
50±3.1 15% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest 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%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee 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% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
$81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
| Sunapee and Swanzey 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 |
$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average |
$259,200±$15k 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,508±$303 about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Swanzey 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 |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,558 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Sunapee 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 | #14 of 120 in NH | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Sunapee School District | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Monadnock Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
11.9Lowest |
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.