Compare towns
Marlborough vs Swanzey vs Windham
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Swanzey has the oldest population (median age 50).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Swanzey | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,207Lowest |
7,398 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.2 6% above NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Swanzey and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.7 NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Swanzey and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5% NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Windham 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±$9kLowest 30% below NH |
$81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,200±$35k 34% below NH |
$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$323Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,508±$303 about the NH average |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,362 5% below NH |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±25.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Windham 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% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.3%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Marlborough 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 | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Marlborough School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Monadnock Regional High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
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.