Compare towns
Marlborough vs Chatham 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
Marlborough has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Chatham has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Swanzey has the highest household income ($82k).
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 | Marlborough | Chatham | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,207 |
430Lowest |
7,398Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— | +0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.2Lowest 6% above NH |
48.3±8.6 12% above NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
| Swanzey and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±7.4 NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Marlborough and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±10Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Chatham and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
38.4% NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.8%±3.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
| Chatham and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,032±$9k 30% below NH |
$66,042±$19kLowest 33% below NH |
$81,595±$11kHighest 18% below NH |
| Swanzey and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,200±$35k 34% below NH |
$362,900±$42kHighest 10% below NH |
$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$323Lowest 24% below NH |
— | $1,508±$303Highest about the NH average |
| Swanzey and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,362Highest 5% below NH |
$3,690Lowest 45% below NH |
$5,558 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±25.3 NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.3%±6.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.3%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Marlborough and Swanzey 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 | — | — | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Marlborough School District | — | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Monadnock Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.