What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ossipee has the most expensive homes ($326k median).

Swanzey has the most people working from home (9.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ossipee	Swanzey
People
Population	4,521Lowest	7,398Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6% NH: +4.6%	+0.6% NH: +4.6%
Median age	50±4.6 15% above NH	50±3.1 15% above NH
Kids under 18	19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%	18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Ossipee and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.3%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1%	24.2%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Ossipee and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	30.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6%	3.4%±2Highest NH: 6%
	Swanzey and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,521±$22kHighest 9% below NH	$81,595±$11kLowest 18% below NH
	Ossipee and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$23kHighest 19% below NH	$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH	$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average
	Ossipee and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401Lowest 34% below NH	$5,558Highest 17% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2%	67.7%±19.4Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Ossipee and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Highest NH: 7.2%	7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest NH: 72.8%	71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest same as NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above NH	24 minLowest 9% below NH
Work from home	5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8%	9.3%±4Highest NH: 16.8%
	Swanzey and Ossipee 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	#100 of 120 in NH	#102 of 120 in NH
School district	Governor Wentworth Regional 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

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.