What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanzey has the most affordable homes ($259k median).

Derry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).

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	Derry
People
Population	7,398Lowest	34,116Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+3.6%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	50±3.1Highest 15% above NH	40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH
Kids under 18	18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	20.7%±2.1Highest NH: 18.2%
	Derry and Swanzey 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%	15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	37.4%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6%
	Derry and Swanzey 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	$108,944±$7kHighest 10% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH	$432,000±$17kHighest 7% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average	$1,547±$138Highest 4% above NH
	Derry 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	$8,103Highest 22% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2%	51.6%±9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Swanzey and Derry 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%	4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below NH	31 minHighest 16% above NH
Work from home	9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%	16%±2.8Highest NH: 16.8%
	Derry 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	#60 of 120 in NH
School district	Monadnock Regional School District	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District
High school in town	Monadnock Regional High School	Pinkerton Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	13.9Highest
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.