Compare towns
Swanzey vs Bow vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swanzey has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Swanzey | Bow | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,398Lowest |
8,335 |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Swanzey and Amherst 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% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Swanzey and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,595±$11kLowest 18% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst 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 |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,508±$303 about the NH average |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Bow and Swanzey 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 |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Monadnock Regional School District | Bow School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Monadnock Regional High School | Bow High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.