What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanzey has the most homeowners (71.7%).

Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).

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	Lebanon
People
Population	7,398Lowest	14,999Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	50±3.1Highest 15% above NH	38.9±3.1Lowest 10% below NH
Kids under 18	18%±3.2Highest NH: 18.2%	14.6%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Swanzey and Lebanon 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%	21.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Swanzey and Lebanon 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%	57.5%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6%	6.9%±2.6Highest NH: 6%
	Lebanon 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	$98,147±$10kHighest about the NH average
	Lebanon and Swanzey 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	$385,400±$29kHighest 4% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average	$1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH
	Lebanon 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	$8,149Highest 22% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2%	41.9%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Swanzey and Lebanon 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%	7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 9% below NH	14 minLowest 48% below NH
Work from home	9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%	22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#102 of 120 in NH	#29 of 120 in NH
School district	Monadnock Regional School District	Lebanon School District
High school in town	Monadnock Regional High School	Lebanon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.7Lowest
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.