Compare towns
Lebanon vs Swanzey vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Lebanon | Swanzey | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,999Highest |
7,398Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
50±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
| Swanzey and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Swanzey and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,147±$10kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$81,595±$11k about the U.S. average |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Lebanon and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $385,400±$29kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$259,200±$15kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,508±$303 7% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Lebanon and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$5,558Lowest 78% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Swanzey and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #29 of 120 in NH | #102 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Lebanon School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Lebanon High School | Monadnock Regional High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
12.8Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.