Compare towns
Swanzey vs Durham vs Marlborough
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 homeowners (71.7%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Marlborough has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,398 |
15,080Highest |
1,048Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
47.6±11.7 10% above NH |
| Swanzey and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Marlborough 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.9%±4.4 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+ | 30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.2%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$67,356±$10kLowest 32% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$261,700±$44k 35% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,508±$303Highest about the NH average |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$973±$153Lowest 35% below NH |
| Swanzey and Durham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,076 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
40%±17.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1943Lowest 36 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.2%±10.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Monadnock Regional School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Monadnock Regional High School | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.