What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanzey has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Boscawen has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.8%).

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	Swanzey	Boscawen
People
Population	7,398Highest	4,044Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+0.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	50±3.1Highest 15% above NH	46±4.2Lowest 6% above NH
	Swanzey and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.1%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%
	Boscawen and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.2%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1%	25.2%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1%
	Boscawen and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.2%Highest NH: 40.6%	20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2Highest NH: 6%	2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6%
	Swanzey and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,595±$11kHighest 18% below NH	$77,328±$27kLowest 22% below NH
	Swanzey and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH	$286,500±$23kHighest 29% below NH
	Boscawen and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,508±$303Highest about the NH average	$1,265±$307Lowest 15% below NH
	Swanzey and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,558Lowest 17% below NH	$6,549Highest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2%	41.2%±21Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Swanzey and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	17%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	75.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978 1 yr older than NH	1978 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below NH	28 minHighest 4% above NH
Work from home	9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%	9.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8%
	Boscawen 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	#51 of 120 in NH
School district	Monadnock Regional School District	Merrimack Valley School District
High school in town	Monadnock Regional High School	None in town
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.