What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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	Exeter
People
Population	7,398Lowest	16,151Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	50±3.1Highest 15% above NH	45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH
	Swanzey and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3.2Highest NH: 18.2%	17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Swanzey and Exeter 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%	24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Exeter 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%Lowest NH: 40.6%	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6%
	Exeter 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	$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH	$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH
	Exeter 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	$8,814Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2%	59%±11.3Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Swanzey and Exeter 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%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1979Highest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below NH	25 minHighest 7% below NH
Work from home	9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#102 of 120 in NH	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Monadnock Regional School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Monadnock Regional High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	59 photos →

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.